


And Her Name Was Morrigan

by hopefulsilence



Category: Final Fantasy, Final Fantasy XV
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Angst with a Happy Ending, Eventual Romance, F/M, Fluff, Slow Burn
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-07-05
Updated: 2019-04-15
Packaged: 2019-06-05 13:38:32
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 9
Words: 84,993
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15171872
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/hopefulsilence/pseuds/hopefulsilence
Summary: It's just who she was. She didn't know how to be friends with people because she didn't trust anyone, not after that man. But when a youthful blond approached her one night and showed her kindness, a foreign concept to her, things seemed to rearrange in her life. Before she knew it, she was with them, with a group of people that she had just met, on their way to Altissia. How would these people show her friendship? And why didn't they want to use her?





	1. Friend?

**Author's Note:**

> Alright, so, yeah. I've had this idea milling about for a while, even while I finished up my last fic. Remember that idea that I scrapped mid chapter? Well, it's back and I'm more comfortable with it now. I do hope you enjoy this new series. I hope it'll be longer than the last, but we'll see where my muse takes me.

“Hey, calm down. We’re not gonna hurt you.” A blond male spoke in a soothing voice. His outstretched gloved hand sent her reeling backwards toward the base of the tree. She wished she could melt into the tree to get away from the four men standing tall in front of her. She took a glance back at the man in front of her. Tall, lanky, freckled, but his baby blue eyes were kind. It wouldn’t hurt to trust him, right?

 _No! Remember last time. That man hurt you last time._ She suddenly tried her best to cover herself, and despite the fact that she kept her arms close to her person and drew her knees up to her chest, attempting to make herself as small as possible, part of her wanted to reach out and take his hand.

“Come on kid. Maybe she doesn’t want our help.” The dark haired tattooed guy spoke up suddenly, causing her to jump and try to bury herself deeper into the base of the tree, the bark digging into her skin uncomfortably. “Let’s set up camp and be done with it.”

“Gladio, you can tell by looking at her that she needs help. I don’t feel comfortable leaving her here.” The blond replied as he turned to face the man. Another man, finely dressed and wearing a fancy pair of glasses, approached the man before her and squatted with him.

“Here. If you do not wish for help, at least take something to eat.” His gloved hand held a small Chickatrice leg and he was gently offering it to her. She realized how hungry she was, as her stomach growled loudly. When just was the last time she’d eaten? She couldn’t remember. All she knew right now was the fact that the meat he held in his hand seemed so welcoming to her stomach. She reached out and plucked it from his hand quickly, only to return herself to the base of the tree quickly. The finely dressed man stood back up straight and walked away from the two of them.

“It’s okay. You can eat it. I promise it’s good.” The blond informed her. She lifted the meat to her lips and took a hesitant bite. The meat melted in her mouth as drool pooled at the corner of her lips. She took another bite, quickly this time, and another after barely swallowing the first. Before she knew it, only a bone remained in her hand. “See, I told you it was good.” The man in front of her said with a smile on his face.

“Let’s get going Prompto. Night approaches.” The man in glasses spoke from his spot beside a young looking raven haired man, who yawned as he spoke.

“Yeah. I’m beat.” The raven haired man said as he rubbed his eyes.

The blond before her looked at, what she assumed, was his friends and nodded. “Look. I’ve gotta go now. We’ll be right over there though,” he explained, pointing to a nearby campsite. “If you need anything. I’m sure Iggy wouldn’t mind packing you some leftovers. He always makes too much anyway.” He rose to stand straight, but took one last look at her small frame before he left to rejoin his friends.

**********

She curled into a tight ball as the daemons surrounded her. She knew that if she remained silent, she would be safe, for the most part. She felt her body tremble and shake against the tree that she never moved from as the chill of the night seeped through her tattered clothes. The warmth from the day had left a while ago, leaving her cold and alone. Thunder boomed in the distance, causing her to tremble harder against the chill. Lightning soon crackled and signed of an impending storm loomed over the horizon. There was complete silence for a moment and then a sudden boom of thunder, causing her to scream and sit up quickly as if she was about to be attacked. She realized quickly that it was just the thunder above her and looked up in time to see small pellets of rain falling into her eyes. Footsteps to her left indicated that someone was approaching her, quickly. She cowered against the tree once more, hoping that whoever, or whatever, came around the corner didn’t see her. But of course, she didn’t make herself small enough.  
  
The blond from before was right beside her, gun in hand. The weapon terrified her; she wasn’t able to pull her eyes away from it. Memories flooded back to the man that hurt her, as he put the gun to her head and forced her to do _things_. Sensing her fear, he dispelled the weapon in a blue flash. So, he was a Glaive, or at least someone with ties to the lost Lucis line. 

  


“I’m sorry. I heard a scream and I wanted to make sure no one was getting hurt.” He explained as he sat down beside her, too close for her comfort. She shifted her body away from his, closer to the stone wall at her left. The rain fell harder. The next thing she knew, he was placing what appeared to be his jacket over her head. “There. We can’t have you getting all wet, can we?” he spoke to no one in particular. 

He seemed to twiddle his thumbs as he thought about anything to say, but another thunder boom stopped him from doing anything further. She jumped toward the wall at her side as tears began to fill her eyes. She hated thunder, lightning more so, for it reminded her of how her father would lock her and her little sister out of the house when she was a child when he was drunk, or on the off chance that they were allowed in the house, he would throw anything and everything at them to get them away from him. Her sister didn’t make it a week out here on their own. An Iron Giant emerged from the ground one night, and as she pulled at her sister to move, the child was frozen with fear. The Giant raised its massive sword into the air and brought it downward, easily destroying her sisters small frame against the ground. All she had in her hands at the time was her sisters’ fingers that seemed to be ripped from her hand. She ran from the scene with her hands over her ears, blood covered her body like she’d taken a shower in it. That was two years ago.

A hand light patted her back, causing the fabric of her soaked shirt to stick to her flesh. She turned and faced the blond like a deer in headlights. “I don’t mean to scare you. I just wanted to make sure you were okay. I’m Prompto, since I never told you my name. What’s yours?” he explained as he extended his hand. She knew the gesture called for her to take his hand in return and shake it, but she couldn’t bring herself to do it. She didn’t even try to speak to him in response, for she had forgotten how to form words so long ago. They didn’t help her then, and they certainly wouldn’t help her now. The blond, Prompto, dropped his hand back to the dirt below him. “Can’t talk huh? That’s okay.” He said, his voice somber. “I’ll leave when the rain stops. At least I’ll know for a bit that you’ll be okay.”

So, in what felt like hours, the two of them sat in silence, thoughts racing through her head all the while. He did not try to touch her again, nor did he try to speak to her. She guessed he realized how pointless his efforts were and he decided to give up on them. The rain stopped eventually, and the clouds moved to reveal the sun slowly rising over the horizon. The man beside her had fallen asleep with his back rested against the rocks to his right and his head on his chest. His hair had matted itself against his head, making him appear younger than he was. How old was he anyway? Seventeen? Eighteen? No, that couldn’t be right? To be a Glaive, one had to at least be eighteen and spend years training in order to earn the rank, so he had to at least be twenty, if not older than that. She looked at his sleeping form in wonder. Why was he so willing to help her? Why was he spending the night in the rain with her? What did he want from her? He wanted to use her, in ways that she didn’t want to be used, just like the last man. She shook the thoughts from her mind, sending droplets of water discharging from the tangled mess of her red hair. The sound of her movement woke Prompto up and he lifted his arms above his head in a stretch.

“I hope you got some sleep.” He spoke as he surveyed the horizon. “I’ve gotta get back to my friends. You can come too, ya know.” He suggested. She thought about it, really thought about it. With these guys, who she just met, she could at least be safe from the daemons that came at night. Prompto didn’t seem to want to hurt her, but neither did the other guy. Unlike the other guy, she knew Prompto had a gun, and he would eventually use it against her. It made her wonder what other weapons the guys he was with had. A shiver went through her spine at the thought. The four of them could easily kill her and it wasn’t like she was exactly labeled as a missing person. She took his jacket off her head and gently handed it back to him without looking in his direction. He took it carefully and shrugged it back on and stood up to stretch his whole body. As he raised his arms into the air, she rose to her feet. She’d decided what she was going to do. So, with a look toward the man at her left, she nodded and crossed her arms over her chest.  
She decided to give him a chance. She knew that not all men were like the last one. Some men were actually nice and actually cared about people. Prompto never did set any alarms off in her mind, but she would keep her guard up. If he, or any of the other three men with him, tried to lay a finger on her, she would leave, and she would make sure that they would never find her. Being alone for so long had taught her how to be invisible when she needed to be.

“You coming with me?” he inquired with one eyebrow raised. She didn’t make any motion to confirm or deny her answer; she remained standing with her arms crossed. “Well, if you’re coming, follow me. I know the way back.” And as he began to move forward, she remained five steps behind him, her arms over her chest the entire time.

**********

The two of them appeared over the bend of the nearby campsite later than he had anticipated. Though the others were still asleep, he would have to wait until they awoke to explain the current situation. As if a blessing had been answered, Ignis appeared from the other side of the closed tent. He looked upon the two of them with much dissatisfaction but didn’t speak as he began the morning preparations for breakfast. Prompto knew that he wouldn’t be happy about bringing a stranger back to camp, but he also knew that he wasn’t the type of person to not help someone in need. 

“Hey Iggy, she decided to join us for a bit it seems. Can you make her a plate too?” he asked as he stepped toward the finely dressed man. She remained where she stood however.

“It is not a problem Prompto, but if I may ask, why did you want to help her so badly?” the spectacled man, Iggy, asked in response. The youth was silent for a breath before he answered his inquiry.

“She reminded me of a lost chocobo honestly.” He finally replied. She looked at him with her eyes wide, completely ashamed and embarrassed. How did anything about her remind him of a chocobo? She wasn’t some stupid bird. The refined man stifled a laugh as Prompto tried to explain further, and before she knew it, she was smiling at the two of them. She quickly erased any signs of her smile however, as the tall dark haired, tattooed man appeared from behind the tents flap.

“Yo Iggy, what’s for breakfast?” he asked as he made himself stand tall, towering over the two other men even though he was farther away from them. Then he saw her, and her green eyes locked with his amber orbs as they narrowed. “Is that the girl you were trying to help yesterday?” Was all he asked.

“Yeah. I heard a scream last night and I wanted to make sure everyone was okay. When I found where it was coming from, there she was, so I stayed with her through the storm to make sure she would be okay. Then I offered her a place with us, and she seemed okay with it.” Prompto began to explain, the words spilling out of his mouth so quickly that he was tripping over them.

“Did she say that?” the bigger man questioned.

“Well honestly, she didn’t say anything. She can’t talk it looks like; but she followed me back here, so I figured she was okay with it.” He answered as he fumbled with his hands.  
As the bigger man was about to speak once more, she cleared her throat and all attention was on her suddenly. She nodded, her way of telling them that, yes, he offered her refuge, and that she also came of her own accord. With a nod from the big man who then announced that he was going for a jog, the spectacled one began cooking food and Prompto helped set up the chairs and found the spare one in the pack that was set up behind the tent. Once the chair was set up, he approached her, and she tried to fold into herself. Seeing his actions bringing her discomfort, he stepped back toward the chair and offered it to her. After careful deliberation, she decided to take his offer and sit, and he sat in the chair to her right.

“That’s Ignis. He’s the most level-headed guy I’ve ever met. He’s smart and cunning, but beneath it all, he’s got a big heart.” Prompto explained. So, his name was Ignis and not Iggy. Nicknames were common among friends, right? She’d never really had friends to know. “The big guy is Gladiolus, or Gladio. He’s brash and hard on us, but he means well.” She didn’t like Gladiolus. He scared her, a lot. He reminded her of _that man_. “The guy that’s still sleeping is,”

“Prompto,” The man she now knew fully as Ignis spoke, interrupting the youthful blondes’ explanation. “See if you can wake him. Breakfast is almost ready and Gladio should be back shortly.” With a nod, Prompto stood and disappeared into the tent only to return shortly with a sleepy and slightly grumpy raven-haired man.

“Sleepy…” he mumbled, his voice heavy with fatigue.

“That is what happens when you stay up all night playing games.” Ignis scolded. She could not tell the relationship of the two, but it seemed like he was some type of guardian to the younger man. Gladio returned from his jog around the same time and helped set up plates for the group. She watched carefully as the two of them plated scrambled Daggerquill eggs, boars’ bacon and dry toast and handed it out to the other two. Ignis approached her with a plate, but she didn’t make motion to take it. “Oh, come now, one cannot expect to survive without nothing.” His accented voice spoke carefully, like she was a child. She narrowed her eyes at him, but took the plate gingerly, like she expected it to explode at any moment. This man did not realize that she had survived with far less than this for the past three years, and less than less after her sister perished. 

She took a small bite of the toast; nothing out of the ordinary, though it did dry her mouth and make her thirsty. Next, she tried the bacon, which melted in her mouth, causing drool to situate itself in the corners of her lips. She wiped her mouth with the back of her hand and tried the eggs, which were so fluffy and delicate that it seemed like she didn’t even need to chew them, and she was pretty sure she didn’t. Before she knew it, the delicious food was gone; it saddened her a bit, but she still put her empty plate on the table that he had set up and turned to face the four men. She placed a flat open palm to her chin and brought it down slightly, the only bit of sign language she knew. Prompto looked at her with confusion, but Ignis picked up on her gesture immediately.

“You are welcome.” His accented voice delivered. She turned her back to the four of them and walked down the ramp that the earth had made, listening to the group talk amongst themselves the entire way.

She situated herself at the base of the tree once more, confused as feelings that she hadn’t felt in who knew how long boiled in her chest. Part of her hoped that she would run into them again. She wondered what it was like to have friends like that, so close that you would pick on each other, take pictures with each other, eat with each other, but she would never have that. People only wanted one thing, and once they had that one thing, whether it be money or time, they were done, and you were discarded like yesterdays trash. And that’s all she was, yesterdays trash, if not worse than that. Tears welled in her eyes as she thought about the kindness she was shown; four strangers shared their food with her without wanting anything in return other than her company. Thunder faintly boomed in the distance once more, and she wrapped herself in a ball, leaned against the tree and scrunched her eyes shut tightly. Just as rain began to fall, someone was grabbing her hands lightly away from her face. She hadn’t realized that she had put them there. Fighting against the person, she reached out, punching the person somewhere and pushed them to their rear with a small ‘oof’ escaping their throat. Once she realized that it was in fact a person and not something else, she stilled herself quickly and opened her eyes to see Prompto rising to stand rubbing his rear all the while.

“That hurt a bit.” He uttered lowly, his tone calm. He wasn’t mad that she’d hit him, but it did throw him off a bit. He moved his head to face her. “I wanted to see if you wanted to come with us. It’s raining and I don’t feel comfortable leaving you out here.” She stared at him blankly. Here came the part where everything she knew about him changed. He would want to use her, and if not him, one of his group; probably the big man. She visibly shuttered at the thought and he raised his hands to her, palms out facing her. “Listen, I don’t know what happened to you, and I may not be the smartest, but I can tell that something did happen, and it was bad. We’re just going to Lestallum to see a chick named Holly and we just want to give you a decent day. You do deserve that at least.” Bewilderment clouded her mind. Why was he being so nice to her if he didn’t want to use her? “I’ll talk to the others about what to do from there and who knows, maybe you can travel with us; if you want that is. I’m not gonna force you to do something you’re not comfortable with.” He went on to explain. “We know someone in town that can help you get new clothes and Holly can help you get a job, or if it’s okay with everyone else, you can keep going with us. We’re going to Altissia, and maybe you want to see it, I don’t know. I’m just trying to offer you something stable.” Footsteps sounded to their left and looking for the source, Ignis appeared beside the younger man.

“He speaks his mind, that’s for sure.” He spoke with a smile. “You may take his words as they are. All we wish is for you to be safe, and you can be assured that you would be safe with us. We’ve done many a mission in escorts, so we know how they are to be held. At least let us take you to Lestallum and get some fresh clothes. What you choose to do afterwards is completely up to you, though none of us are opposed to you accompanying us to Altissia if you so desire.”

It was just, what, an hours’ ride to Lestallum? It wouldn’t be too bad, would it? And new clothes would be nice seeing as the ones she was currently wearing were tattered beyond repair. But what about the big man, Gladiolus? As she made motions to tell the two of them of her fears, by pointing at herself and them back toward the campsite and holding her hand as high above her head as she could, and shaking her head, her eyes wide in hopes that they would understand, they both looked upon her subtle form with confusion.

“Gladio?” Ignis asked. She nodded and pointed at herself once more. “You,” she nodded again and wrapped her arms around herself like she was shivering. “Cold? No, scared? You’re afraid of Gladio?” He finally managed to figure out through her novice attempt at charades. She nodded, her eyes still wide.

“I get it. He is a big dude, and scary looking. But I promise that he wont hurt you. He’s just the muscle of the group, but he’s more bark than bite.” Prompto explained carefully, as if the words didn’t all come to him at once. “Would you feel better if I was with you?” he asked carefully. He knew he was going on a stretch, seeing as her attitude of people was completely different than his. Where he was trusting until given a reason not to be, she was cold, unapologetically so, until proven otherwise, but she nodded slowly. After all, he was the first one to show her any kindness in who knew how long. “Okay, then I’ll stay with you until you’re comfortable.” He said with a smile crossing his freckled features.

“Gladio!” Ignis called suddenly, causing her to jump at the sound of his raised voice. A sound was made in return. “She’s coming with us so if you would be so kind as to start packing up, we’ll head to Lestallum shorty.” The spectacled man approached her slowly, his palms open and out to her. “I assure you that you will be safe with us.” He said as he reached out one gloved hand toward her. She took one finger between her index finger and thumb and shook it lightly but let go as quickly as she made the gesture. He chuckled lightly, understanding, and motioned for the two of them to follow him.

She lagged behind as the four men, mainly Gladio, carried supplies back to their car. The car itself was something that seemed like it should be in a collection, solid black with the top now up, the insides covered in leather and so much space. She’d seen this car before, but where, and who did it belong to? She picked at her brain as she thought about any possibility until it finally hit her. King Regis! But he wasn’t here, so why did they have his car? The only people that would use his car were people that were close to him and family. Family? People close to him? Did that mean what she thought it meant? She looked at the raven-haired man that she hadn’t learned the name of yet. Just who exactly were these people?

“What? Something on my face?” he asked her suddenly. She dropped her gaze quickly and watched Gladio load the camping gear into the trunk of the regal car. Then it hit her like a ball dropping and bouncing away. 

A long time ago, when she was about six years old, her mother, sister and herself had taken a day trip inside the walls of Insomnia. It was there that a parade was being held, though she couldn’t remember the occasion, but the car before her was there as well as the King and his family. The littlest form in the backseat of the car was a small raven-haired boy, just like the one standing in front of her now. Her eyes widened at her sudden epiphany, and before she knew it, she was bowing low.

“H-hey, no need for that.” He expressed, though he seemed pleased that she recognized him. “Just please don’t make a big deal of it. Not a lot of people know I’m out here and most people think I’m dead, so..” his voice trailed at he spoke. She nodded quickly and raised herself to stand straight.

“Well, are we ready?” Ignis asked as he loaded himself behind the wheel.

“Yep.” Gladio replied from the back of the car. She watched as Prince Noctis went to the left side of the car and plopped himself down in the backseat. Gladio and Prompto remained where they were for one breath until Gladio moved to get in the car beside the prince. Prompto stopped him by placing his hand on his arm.

“You can ride shotgun this time. I kinda made a promise.” The blond explained to him. With a shrug, Gladio opened the passenger door and hopped in. Prompto motioned for her to get in first and sit in the middle beside Prince Noctis and he crawled in beside her. “Hey Noct, Iris knows we’re coming right?” he inquired once he was situated inside the car and it started moving. She looked at the blond man to her right, baffled as his attitude toward someone like the Prince was so nonchalant. Seeing her confusion, he explained. “He doesn’t like to use his royal status and as much as he wants to just be a regular guy, the title is still there. So, we all just treat him like a normal guy unless we get into a battle. He doesn’t think he’s a big deal.”

“Well unlike you, I am a big deal, and I want to remain a not big deal, so deal with it.” The Prince retorted with a grin on his features. She couldn’t help but smile at him and the way that he acted. As someone with royal blood coursing through his veins, Noctis just wanted to be a regular person, and she could admire that. She turned slightly to him and gave him a thumbs up, a signal to him that she promised that not only would she keep his identity under wraps, but she would also treat him like a normal person. It’s not like her voice worked to go around telling everyone that she rode in a car with the Prince, and who would believe her anyway?

“Yeah,” Gladio pipped in from the front of the car. “Iris is looking for us at the hotel.”

“Then, to Lestallum we go.” Ignis articulated from the drivers seat. But before they departed, he reached into the glove box of the car and pulled out a small pad of paper and handed it to her. “Since you can’t speak, I figure it wouldn’t hurt if you could write down what you wish to say.” She took it carefully and he reached inside his blazer for a pen and handed it to her as well. “This way, we won’t get confused.” He looked at her through the rearview mirror and she nodded. She could write, though not well, but well enough to get words across.

**********

The ride was spent in mostly silence as Noctis somehow fell back asleep, Gladio read a book and Prompto looked through pictures on the camera that he seemed to always have glued to his hands. The blond beside her would seldomly show her a picture that he’d taken, some of a Miss Cindy (who he talked about lovingly whenever he showed her an image of the young woman), or picturesque pictures of the landscape and some pictures of him and the men with him. It was nice to feel some normalcy as he doted on and on about their trip up to this point. 

By the time they reached Lestallum, the sun had peeked through the clouds and the heat from the now wet roads began to rise like a fog. Though the rain still fell, the booming of the thunder and crackles of the lightning were long gone. Gladio led their way to the hotel followed by Ignis and Noctis and her and Prompto taking up the rear. Ignis and Noctis were talking about something to do with fishing and as she listened to the two of them, she learned that Noctis had a hobby of fishing at any chance that he got and just about anything that he caught, Ignis would cook up for dinner. 

As they approached the hotel, a feisty little woman ran up to them and wrapped her arms around Gladio.

“Gladdy!” she shouted in pure joy. She looked on at the spectacle confused. Girlfriend? No, she looked too similar to him. Sister? Yes, she had to be his sister. As if he was reading her mind, Prompto leaned in towards her and began to explain.

“That’s his sister, Iris. She’s who we came to see and she’s the one that can possibly give you some clothes.” And just as he leaned back straight, the small woman approached her slowly.

“And you must be the girl Gladdy told me about. We look about the same size and I’ve got plenty of clothes that I don’t mind giving up. You wanna come check them out?” Iris inquired, and a silence filled the space.

“She doesn’t talk but we gave her a notepad to communicate and she’s very attached to Prompto.” Noctis explained.

“Don’t talk huh? That’s okay. If you wanna come up to my room with me and check out the clothes, just let me know.” She glanced at Prompto. “He can come too if it’ll make you feel better.” She took a glance at Prompto, who nodded in her direction, and she faced Iris once more and nodded. The two of them followed the much younger woman upstairs and into her small hotel room.

Iris opened a drawer and pulled out various tee-shirts and tank tops of many colors and styles and opened another to pull out shorts, jeans, and skirts. She looked at the clothes that she had pulled out and almost immediately a mint green tank top caught her eye. She picked it up gingerly and held it to her form and looked at Prompto. His features morphed into something akin to ponder before he finally smiled and told her that it would look good. With a nod, she looked at the selection that she’d thrown out of pants. She was never anyone to want to wear fancy things, so she picked a simple pair of dark denim blue jeans.

“If you want to take a shower before you put them on, that’s okay with me. We’ll leave you to it if you want. I know a shop in town that has shoes and a few other things that you would need. Take as long as you need.” Iris spoke as she had pointed out her selection and she began putting the clothes back up. “I’m sure those will look just great on you.” She then said with a smile filling her features. She could see why this woman was so easy to be around. However, fear creeped into her veins once more as she thought about being alone.

“What’s wrong?” Prompto asked her as he began to sense her apprehension. She quickly pulled out the notepad from her pocket and fumbled with the pen.

 _I don’t want to be alone._ She wrote, her handwriting barely legible since she hadn’t written anything in so long.

“You don’t want to be alone?” his voice inquired. “Woah, I don’t know if I’m comfortable with that. I’d rather go with Iris if that’s okay. I mean, maybe Iggy or Noct can sit with you.” His words came out quick, almost melting together as he got more and more flustered at the idea of being alone with her. She contemplated his words for a moment. Finally, she wrote on the paper once more.

_Ignis._

“You’d be okay with Iggy waiting with you?” She nodded toward him and he stood to walk to the door. Opening the door slightly, she heard him call for the sumptuous man, who appeared quickly within the room. “She doesn’t want to be alone and I don’t know how I feel about waiting for Iris to get back. I mean, she’ll be,” he lowered his voice to a whisper. “Naked,” and he raised it again to speak at a normal volume. “In there.”

The posh man sighed and rolled his eyes slightly, but a smile crossed his features at the young mans innocence. “Prompto, I assure that there is nothing wrong with the naked form of a woman. Either way, she’ll be on the other side of the door. If you do not wish to stay with her, I will sit in your stead until you return.” Prompto seemed to let out a breath that she didn’t know he was holding.

“Thank you Iggy! We’ll be back in a bit.” And with those final words, he and Iris left the room quickly.

Silence began to ring in her ears as she watched Ignis approach the bed and sit with a sigh. She noticed just how much older he seemed compared to the rest of the group, especially Prompto. He was silent as he pulled out a small book and began to put words to the paper. She looked on quizzically as he seemed lost in his own world for a moment before he suddenly closed it and put it back into his blazer pocket.

“You, no doubt, have noticed that I provide the meals for everyone. It is something that I’ve come to enjoy. I have gotten into the habit of thinking up my own recipes and I write them down before they leave me.” He explained as she stood in place. “I really don’t mind waiting for the two of them to return while you bathe. Go on.” He said as he picked up on her trepidation. With silence surrounding them once more, she walked slowly into the bathroom.

Her body sank into the floor of the bathtub as the warmth of the water washed over her polluted and broken skin. Every scratch and tear in her skin seemed to set itself on fire as the water washed away any dirt and grime that had filled them. The water streaming down the drain was a murky brown color as everything rinsed away from her. She gathered a small amount of shampoo into her hand and slowly began to lather her fiery red hair, and rinsing quickly she gathered another bit and lathered her hair once more. She then she quickly washed away the layer of grime that had situated itself upon her skin. As she was scrubbing at her face, a light knock was heard at the door. She stopped, suddenly afraid.

“They have returned and asked me to give you these. I’ll just set them on the counter if that is okay.” Ignis voice called over the sound of the shower and the fear that situated itself upon her heart dissolved. She clapped her hands twice lightly to let him know that it was okay. She watched through the shower curtain as he kept his back to her and placed a small bag on the counter and walked back out and she couldn’t help but chuckle at the way he acted, but understood that he was just trying to give her something during a time that should be kept private. 

And then she was finished and stepped out carefully, grabbed the nearby towel and dried off. She wiped the mirror of it’s fog with her hand and looked upon her features. She hadn’t seen herself in so long that she had forgotten that she had small patches of freckles of her own, dark circles had called the bottom of her eyes home as she wiped at them, and a small scar had situated itself on the bridge of her nose. She picked at her hair, something that she used to be proud of as it reminded her of her mother and she remembered the time that she had found a small knife and cut it off the best she could. Gaps of uneven hair matted her head as she quickly dried the strands off. She looked in the bag that Ignis had placed on the counter and found a small toothbrush and undergarments. Grabbing the toothbrush, she squeezed out a small bit of white paste and scrubbed at her teeth, and she realized that they probably would never be clean enough. Sure, she’d sometimes wandered into a random outpost and obtained various necessities, but they never lasted as long as she needed them. Once she was finished, she rinsed out the sink and slid into her new clothes. The shirt was a little small, as Iris had a smaller chest than she did, but the pants fit perfectly, as well as the undergarments that they’d gotten her. Now fully dressed, she padded her way out of the damp bathroom and back into the bedroom.

Prompto stopped talking as soon as she emerged from the room to look at her. His eyes went wide in surprise. “You clean up good.” He managed to say as he looked at her. She tried to cover her body the best she could with her arms and he quickly turned away, realizing that she was uncomfortable. Ignis motioned her to him.

“If you would set a towel down, I can fix your hair.” He offered. She began to protest, but his words stopped her. “I do not mind. I used to do it for Noct when he was a child; that is if he would sit still long enough.” And even though she didn’t feel at all comfortable, she let him fix her uneven hair, leaving it much shorter than she expected. “It’s a little short, but it is even at least. I was never much of a stylist, but one does acquire the skill overtime.” He explained as he ran his gloved fingers through her now combed hair to double check it for straightness. She put her palm to her chin again and drew it outwards. “You’re welcome.” He responded with a smile.

“So, are you guys staying here tonight?” Iris’ voice pipped in suddenly. She glanced at the younger woman to her right and then looked toward Prompto.

“Yeah. We’re meeting Holly in a bit and then we’ll be free for the rest of the night.” The blond explained as he went through his photos once more.

“What about her?” Her voice asked. She looked at the three of them as they looked at her. Ignis’ features seemed to strain as thoughts formulated in his mind, Prompto just looked confused.

“She could come with us if she wanted to. I don’t think Noct would have a problem with it.” Prompto finally replied after a pregnant pause. She shifted to face the three of them fully and shook her head quickly. “You don’t want to?” he asked her. She nodded quickly as she rose to stand and walked into the bathroom and returned with the notepad. She quickly scribbled something onto the paper and handed it to him.

_I’ll be okay here. I don’t want to bother you guys._

He showed the paper to Ignis, who looked at her, his green eyes slightly narrowed behind his silver frames. “Are you certain?” he asked, and she nodded. “Is there anything we can give you to pass the time? A book perhaps? I’m sure Gladio has one that he wouldn’t mind you borrowing.” She shook her head quickly once more. “Prompto, we have our rooms for the night. I only booked two since Gladio mentioned that he was staying with Iris, and it was cheaper than four singles.” He explained as he turned to face the young man. The youth seemed to weigh the thought for a moment before speaking.

“Okay, so Iris and Gladio have a room. That leaves me, Noct, you and her.” He said to no one as he thought out loud. He turned to face her. “Who do you want to room with?” Her eyes went wide as she thought about what he’d just asked her. She’d never been alone with a person, much less a man of her own accord, that wasn’t family. Memories flood her mind of _that man_ that hurt her and her mind blanked, like a television shutting off suddenly. Her gaze resembled something akin to a Cactuar as she stared at the blond before her without actually seeing him. 

“I can assure you that no ill-will will befall you.” Ignis explained, snapping her from her dark thoughts. She blinked as she looked upon the spectacled man. He intrigued her, even though she was afraid. He seemed to be the brains of the group, so he couldn’t be so bad, could he? She calculated her thoughts before she scribbled a name on the paper and handed it to him. “Me?” he asked as he handed the notepad back to her and she nodded. “Very well. I’ll show you to the room.” He said as he rose to stand.

With a final look at Prompto, who gave her a reassuring smile, she left the room with Ignis.

**********

She was left alone once again as the group of men made their way to their task for the day. She burrowed her face into the pillow as she thought about everything that had transpired in her life recently. She’d met four guys, who are actually decent people. Maybe men weren’t all bad, however, she was still afraid. Could she continue on with them? They threw the offer out to her, but could she really? She wanted to see Altissia, she wanted to see the world. Over the course of an hour, she tossed and turned on the bed and sighed heavily. She felt that she would never fit in with these people. They were royalty! She was nothing, and that’s all she would ever be. Just a nobody that would never hold any significance to anyone. She didn’t have a family, she didn’t even fully understand the concept of friends because everyone that she considered a friend abandoned her when she needed help the most. Who was she anyway? Did her existence hold any meaning? More than likely not, but she desired to have meaning. She put the pillow over her head and closed her eyes. Hopefully sleep would come quickly and stop her racing thoughts.

Her mind was filled with dreams of her mother. She was a beautiful woman with hair like the sun and skin like porcelain. Though she didn’t have much, she would have given one the shirt off her back if it helped. She would always plant her flowers in the backyard and take them into various towns and villages to sell for a little more gil, and she and her sister would always accompany her. She remembered when she was sick, her body slowly withering and fading as the sun set. She grasped her once strong hand to find it weak and limp. Her hand resembled a skeleton more than an actual hand. She wiped her tears away with a bony finger and opened her chapped pale lips, her voice coming out ragged and torn.

“Remember dear, you’ll find your way. You’re stronger than you realize. Don’t let anyone take the fire away from you. The world is a cruel place, but you can make anyone you wish the happiest person in it. Keep smiling for me dear. Keep the fire inside and show the world that you can turn those embers into a wildfire.”

And that’s exactly what she did. She let someone take the spark that she had and stomp it out and turn her into someone that she didn’t even know. She was a stranger to her own being. She owed it to her mother and sister to be the best person that she could be. But how could she do that when she was so afraid of everything? She didn’t know anyone, didn’t trust anyone. Everyone that she put trust in hurt her. How could she put the memory of her mother and sister to rest if she was like how she was? She would never live up to them and she knew it, but she could try. Though it would take time, she would show the world that she was a wildfire, and she would be that light that the world so desperately needed.

She finally put the thoughts behind her and closed her eyes, hoping that sleep would take her. It didn’t.

*********

The sound of the door opening perked her ears. Though she was facing away, she could hear her roommate set things upon the nightstand and gather things from his bag that he’d put on the other side of his bed. She closed her eyes as she heard his form approach hers, and to her surprise, he gently placed the blanket further up her form and go into the bathroom and start the shower. After a beat, she sat straight up and looked at herself. He’d gotten too close and her heart beat in her chest so fast that she was sure the world could see it. But she didn’t have any bruises, no scratches. Her skin where his fingers had just barely grazed was completely unmarked. The fact that he had only put the blanket on her made her mind whirl, and the fact that he didn’t even bring her any harm baffled her further. As she sat in silence, completely confused, she heard the water turn off. She quickly put her body back down on the bed and pretended to be asleep once more; but nothing seemed to get passed the man behind the door. He stepped out once he was dressed, went to his own bed and situated himself underneath the blanket.

“I didn’t mean to wake you.” Ignis spoke low, as if he was trying to keep the atmosphere of the silence. She sat up and faced him. “How did I know?” he asked as he faced her. His wet hair had plastered itself to his skull, his bangs slightly in his now glasses-less green eyes. He looked absolutely stunning, his high cheekbones peeking out beneath the ends of his dirty blond hair, his jawline, sharp enough to chip marble. She was happy that he wasn’t wearing his glasses because if he was, she was sure that he would notice right off that a flush had called itself home upon her cheeks. “The blanket was moved.” He replied to his own question with a small grin. He went on to explain that he would frequently keep an eye on Prince Noctis when they were children and that he got used to his young Highnesses sleeping habits, pretending and all. She grasped the notepad and pen that was beside his phone and a set of keys and scribbled something down and put it back on the nightstand. He plucked it up gingerly in his ungloved hands.

_Thank you for your kindness._

“It is of no problem. Everyone deserves a bit of kindness in their life, and forgive me for saying so, but you seem like you haven’t had quite nearly enough in yours.” She drew her knees up to her chest and wrapped her arms around them. “As much as my curiosity is peaked by you, I understand your need of privacy. I do not wish to scare you away.” He replied with a smile gracing his features. 

She couldn’t help but smile in return. Her heart fluttered at his smile, so rare it seemed, and so trustful. She held out her hand for the notepad and he gave it to her. She scribbled down a few words and handed it back to him. He looked at the paper, almost unable to decipher her markings through all the scratched out words she had written. Finally, near the bottom, he finally read:

_My name is Morrigan. I’m from Duscae, near the Costlemark Tower._

“Just how long have you been alone?” he asked as he handed the notepad back to her. She held up two fingers. “Two… years?” he asked, and she nodded. She took the notebook once more.

_I was with my sister, but she died. That was 2 years ago. We were alone longer than that._

His eyes narrowed at the notepad as he read her words. She could tell that he wanted to ask her more, but out of respect, he stayed mute. Instead, he said: “I am sorry you had to go through that.” He put the notepad back on the nightstand and looked at her once more. “If you do ever wish to tell your tale, I will listen.” She watched as he fully put himself underneath the blanket and rolled to his left side, facing her. “However, we do have an early start in the morn, so I do hope you manage to get a decent nights rest. Will you be accompanying us to Altissia?” his accented voice asked.

She pondered over his words. She did want to see Altissia for herself instead of in a book or pictures that she’d seen. She turned to face him and nodded, a smile tugging at her lips. Another smile found its way on his features.

“Then I will see you in the morning.” And as soon as he finished speaking, he turned over to his right side and it didn’t take long for her to hear the even breathing of sleep taking him. She silently wished that he would smile more often. 

**********

She felt a hand upon her bare arm, startling her awake as she jumped away from the touch. It was only once she was flat on her rear on the other side of the bed and in a corner did she realize that it was just a light touch and not a hurtful one. She looked at the gloved hand that was still held out and saw Prompto looking at her, his features holding something akin to concern and confusion.

“I didn’t mean to scare you. I’m sorry. I guess I didn’t think that one through huh?” he said as he rubbed the back of his head, clearly embarrassed. She held up her thumb to tell him that it was okay. “Iggy told us that you’re coming with us, so I just wanted to help you get ready.” He began as he lifted an almost empty duffle bag on the bed that she was just sleeping in. “Iris went shopping for you. She figured that since you’re coming with us, you should have more clothes than what you have on. Lets see,” he glanced into the bag carefully, as if he didn’t want to pull anything out and potentially bring her shame. “She got you a few shirts like the one you’re wearing and a few pairs of pants. Oh yeah, and some socks and a pair of shoes so that you can easily walk with us.” He explained. His eyes suddenly lit up, highly confusing her. “Hey! Do you wanna match?” he asked suddenly. The question confused her, but she shrugged and nodded. Formalities aside, he dug into the bag and pulled out a black tank top and dark washed jeans, as well as a red and black flannel shirt. “Go get dressed and I’ll wait here ‘kay?” he said as he handed her the clothing that he pulled out.

She walked into the bathroom and looked at the clothes he’d picked for her. Shedding her clothes from the day before, she put on the new clothes and stepped back outside the bathroom. Prompto looked at her, his eye showing something that she couldn’t place, and she wrapped her arms around her torso to hide. He pointed at the pair of boots that he’d pulled out of the bag and she realized that they were similar to his, just without the white fur and red soles. “She also got you a jacket just in case you got cold, but Altissia shouldn’t be too cold this time of year.” He explained as he pointed to the duffle bag once more. She slipped on a pair of socks and pushed her feet into the boots and began to tie them. Once finished, she stood. “You’ll fit right in with us now!” he exclaimed, his tone seemingly more than happy. He patted at his pockets suddenly. “Oh yeah, Noct wanted me to give this to you.” He said as he pulled out a small rectangular box. She took it carefully, as if a bomb would detonate if she grasped it too roughly. “I don’t know if you know how to use it, but he figured that it would be a good thing to have if you ever got lost and needed help finding us. We know you can’t talk, but you can send us a text.”

She opened the box to reveal a small black, sleek cell phone. She found the power button and turned it on to see that it had already been fully charged. Tapping the contacts icon, she saw that all the boys’ names were inside, as well as their numbers and a picture corresponding to their name. Prompto approached her slowly, as not to startle her, and stood beside her.

“I got it all set up for you. We know we don’t know how long you’ll be with us, but I bugged him enough about it to get you one.” He explained as she looked at him quizzically. “I know it’s strange to you, but I wanted to help you, remember. And being your friend is helping you I think. I hope anyway.”

She moved to grab the notepad so quickly that she almost fell. What was a friend? What was he talking about? Friend? The world moved around her as she scribbled down words without actually seeing them.

_I never had a friend. What is a friend?_

Prompto laughed as he read her words. “A friend is someone that you get along with and someone that you care for like a sibling. Uhh… I can’t explain it properly.” He crossed his arms over his chest and bit his bottom lip, contemplating over the right words. “Just know that a friend is someone that you help, no matter the circumstance, no matter where they came from or who they are. Friends are always there for one another, always watching each others backs.” He explained as he tried hard to think about how to properly do it. She scribbled on the paper once more.

_And you trust them, right?_

“You trust them with your whole being.” He said quickly, as if he didn’t want to forget the words. “I’ll show you how to use the phone on the way to Galdin Quay. Sound good?” he inquired and she nodded with a faint smile on her features.

Maybe, just maybe, she could call him a friend one day too. As confused as she was to the concept, she wasn’t entirely opposed to the idea of a friend. She was scared, but oh, was she thrilled at the idea. Maybe this way, she could live up to her mothers memory. She would show the world the embers she held deep inside and unleash the wildfire that began to rage inside her heart.


	2. Feeling

Visions of her sister clouded her mind. A beautiful child with long sandy blonde hair that showed a hue of red like their mothers in the sun holding a small flower in her even smaller fingers. Light freckles dotted her skin as she raced against the breeze to the nearby flowerbed their mother had made just days before. She wanted to plant the flower she had picked, but Morrigan knew that without roots, it would just wither and die. But her sister was adamant about it, so she led her there to plant the dying flower. Suddenly, darkness surrounded them and an Iron Giant appeared behind her sister, glowing great sword raised high. She screamed her name, almost forgotten over time, and grasped at her hands, causing her to drop the flower. Her sister then turned and saw the great monster behind her, and she was paralyzed with fear, unable to move her rooted feet. It swung the sword down, it singing as it pieced the air, and it only took a blink for her sisters form to be completely demolished into the dirt and muck on the ground. In her hand, Morrigan held little fingers, ripped off at the knuckles, blood showering her like some macabre baptism. 

Her body jolted upright suddenly, tears brimming her eyes. The car was pulled over to the side of an outpost and she was alone. No one had witnessed her moment of invulnerability, and for that, she was thankful. She wiped her eyes quickly as she saw Prompto approaching the car quickly, what looked like drinks and snacks in hand. He leaned into the car and spoke with a gummy worm sticking out from his teeth.

“You wanna take a pic with us?” he asked her. “Don’t worry, you don’t have to if you don’t wanna. I just figured I’d throw the offer out there.” There was a beat before she nodded. 

“You want one? Awesome!” he exclaimed as he pumped his fist into the air. 

She crawled out of the car carefully, as not to stumble and run into the youth before her. She followed him to the other three men, who seemed to be waiting. Summoning a tripod in a blue flash, he mounted his camera to it and face the lens toward them. She stood awkwardly with her hand raised slightly showing a peace sign as the other did their own thing while Prompto ran from behind the camera and quickly joined them. Once the camera flashed and clicked, he dispelled the tripod and looked at the picture on the small screen.

“Oh! Love the lighting!” He proclaimed as he showed the picture to the four of them. She didn’t realize it at the time, but he still had the gummy worm in his mouth when the flash went off.

“Let’s get to Galdin Quay before it gets too late. I don’t think we can afford another night in a hotel.” Noctis pipped up. And as if some floodgate was opened, Gladio interjected.

“We could always camp again.”

“No.” Prompto and Noctis said in unison. The three of them bickered for a moment about the benefits of sleeping in a real bed as opposed to a tent in the wilderness. If she was honest, she didn’t know how she felt about sleeping inside of a tent either. Sure, it wouldn’t be that bad if it was raining, but Gladio still terrified her. He had yet to do anything to rid her of the fear of the man that hurt her. As if sensing her worries, Ignis spoke up.

“I do believe, if we needed to, we could spend the night inside. And seeing as our new friend isn’t too keen on close quarters, I feel that it would be best if she weren’t confined to a tent.” He turned to Gladio who had a look of disbelief on his features. “Gladio, there will be plenty of opportunities to camp.”

He used that word again, friend. She pointed her finger toward the spectacled man and pulled out the notepad and began to hastily scribble on the paper.

_Did you tell them my name?_

“I have.” Ignis replied, and then a thought hit him. “I’m afraid that I was not given permission to do so, so I do ask for your forgiveness.” At his sudden turmoil, she scribbled on the paper once more.

_It’s not a big deal. If I’m coming with you guys, they can at least know my name._

He read the paper and chuckled to himself. “I suppose you are correct.” He turned to look on at the bickering Prince. “Noct, may I make a suggestion?”

“Huh?” Noctis replied right before it seemed like he was about to have the best comeback to one of Gladio’s quips. “Go ahead Specs.”

“I suggest we make for Galdin Quay, procure a vessel and make way for Altissia. If we linger any longer, I fear the docks will be closed.”

With a sigh due to his missed opportunity, Noctis nodded toward the resplendent man beside her and made his way back to the car. She followed closely behind Prompto, who fiddled with his phone as he walked. Her own phone situated in her back pocket buzzed suddenly, startling her. She pulled it out before she climbed into the backseat beside the Prince and looked at it.

“I told you that I would show you how to use it, so I sent you a text to get you used to that. It’s the easiest thing there is to do and you don’t have to write as much this way. Seeing as Ignis does the driving, I can tell him anything you want him to know.” Prompto explained as he showed her the screen to his own phone. She tapped the lock button and her screen lit up. “You can either leave it as is, or you can use a password to unlock it. I just use swipe since it’s easier and faster that way. If you tap this,” he said as he pointed to the icon labeled ‘Messages” on his own phone. “You’ll pull up your text message screen. Go ahead and try it.”

She tapped the icon and the screen showed a white background with his name with a number beside it. She tapped his name and a thread opened up, the words ‘Intro to texting’ written inside. Tapping at the bar at the bottom that read ‘Enter Message’, a keyboard appeared. She looked at him questioningly.

“That’s your standard QWERTY keyboard. It got the name because it’s the first six letters on the top row. You could change it to the old style number keyboard, but this one is easier to use and you don’t have to press so many buttons to make words this way. Try it.” He explained. She made note of how his eyes lit up as he spoke. Technology seemed to be a hobby, if not passion, for him. “Oh yeah, when you finish what you want to say, just hit the ‘send’ button on the bottom right.”

She tapped out a few words and hit send. His phone buzzed in his hands and he pulled it up. A smile crossed his lips as he read her words.

“Yeah, you’re doing it right.” He answered her text vocally. 

So, she understood the concept of texting, but not much else on the phone, so with a contented smile, she put the phone back into her back pocket, careful as to not lean on Noctis at her left and watched through the windshield as they cruised to their destination. Ignis had left the top down today as it wasn’t raining, and the summer air felt nice against her skin as the breeze from the moving car rushed against her. It was the first time in so long, longer than she could remember, that she felt some semblance of safe. The only one that still gave her trepidation was Gladiolus, but he hadn’t done anything to her. She hoped that it was just fear that caused her pause to be alone with him.

Shaking off her fears, she returned her attention beyond the windshield. A billboard for Galdin Quay made her realize just how long they’d been driving. When they left Lestallum, the sun had just begun to rise over the horizon, and now it seemed that it was already setting, much to Ignis’ dismay as he parked the car in a parking space. 

“It does not appear that the boats will be running tonight.” His accented voice spoke as he approached a post and read the sign attached to it. She walked to his form and pulled out the notepad, but quickly put it back up in favor of her phone. This would give her an excuse to practice the texting thing. She tapped her contacts, tapped the messaging icon next to Ignis’ name and tapped out to him.

_I don’t want to be a pest to you guys. If it’s cheaper for me to sleep somewhere else so you guys can have a bed, it’ll be okay._

He pulled his phone out as soon as she hit the send key to check the message she had sent him. He read the text aloud as Prompto had inquired as to what she had said. The blond looked at her, his eyebrows knit together in worry.

“You don’t need to do all that. We can just do what we did last time; get two rooms. We can do that, right Iggy?” Prompto suggested, clearly flustered at her comment.

“They might offer a discount to people that take on their hunts.” Noctis replied as he thought about the last time they had hunted for Cid and he gave them a discount to use the camper he had at the garage. 

A hunt? There had been hunts all around Eos for as long as she could remember, so she knew what they were, however, she knew full well that she was not capable of handing one on her own, much less with other people helping her. Maybe if she had proper training in a weapon, but weapons themselves scared her, and she couldn’t see herself with a weapon. Just as the fear that gripped her heart clamped down, Ignis spoke, his voice somehow melting the icy anxiety around her heart.

“I believe that it is safe to assume that Morrigan does not know how to do battle, so I propose that someone stay behind with her to keep her safe.”

“Or one of us could teach her.” Gladio pipped in as he flexed his fingers to make a fist and opened them over and over for a moment.

She paled at his words. He was implying that she be alone with one of them, and even though she did it the night before, she doubted that she would have a choice as to who she would be alone with next if she chose to partake in the course he was offering.

“Hey big guy,” Prompto began as he tapped the massive man on the arm. “You’re freaking her out a bit.”

Gladio turned to face her, and his harsh features melted to something akin to concern, though with his natural resting face, it would be hard to realize unless one knew him personally and well.

“Damn…” he mumbled as he glanced toward the ground. The action took her fear of the man down just a notch. He actually felt something because he’d frightened her. That said a lot against the man that he reminded her of. “I didn’t mean to. I’m just a little… I speak without thinking sometimes. I’m sorry.” And he didn’t reach to touch her or reach toward her, he just looked on her small frame, his features completely different from the confident man she had barely gotten used to be around. She held up her hand to show him a weak thumbs up. As much as he terrified her, the change in demeanor toward her apprehensions was, shocking, to say the least, and she could appreciate his concern for her.  
After a bit of deliberation, the group came to the agreement that they would take on a hunt to get the discount to stay at the hotel, and just leave Morrigan behind in the room. They could teach her the ways of battle another day. So, after they’d spoken to Coctura and obtained a hunt to take care of a group of Seadevils that had made themselves home too close to the beach, they purchased the two hotel rooms and made their way to them. As his hand touched the doorknob, Prompto turned to her and asked her who she wanted to room with tonight. She pointed quickly to Ignis, much to his own surprise. She couldn’t place her reasoning as nothing more than genuine curiosity of the finely dressed man before her. He nodded in her direction and walked into the room that he had the key for, and she followed shortly afterwards.

She pulled out her phone and tapped a few buttons; his phone buzzed lightly in his blazer pocket soon after. He pulled it out and read her message.

_I’ll wait for you guys outside. I don’t feel like being cooped up inside. I never seen the beach before, so I’m gonna take advantage of it._

“Well, if you would like, I can send you a message when we are finished.” He spoke carefully as he did not want to cross some boundary. She realized that he took great care as to not to upset her. He wouldn’t dare reach out to her without permission, nor would his gaze linger on her form for too long. She noticed it all, but she did not know if he realized she knew. Ignis was certainly a curious person.

_That’s okay. I might be able to see you guys coming._ Her text reply said. He chuckled at her, and whether it be from contentedness of his actions or just plain curiosity of her own, the small sound made her heart skip a beat. With a final glance at him, he turned his back to her and walked out of the door and she was left to her own devices.

**********

She sat in the sand away from the water. She didn’t know how she felt about the sand just yet, as she felt like she would sink down into the ground if she stayed still for too long. She realized as the waves crashed against the shore that she didn’t know how to swim and the thought of getting pulled into the water frightened her. She also realized that she was going to Altissia and that required a boat, over the sea. She tried not to think about that as fear made the hair on the back of her neck prick up. But she knew that with Prompto and Ignis with her, they wouldn’t let anything happen to her, right? Ignis was hard to talk to yes, but the vibe that he gave off was nothing but kind. Prompto, on the other hand, was completely approachable and he cared about a lot of things. He had a huge heart and she found herself wishing that he would stay as happy as he appeared to be. Someone like Prompto didn’t deserve to have a life filled with pain.

It was then that she noticed the group appearing from the parking lot. She stood up carefully, her feet still sinking in the sand, and wadded her way to them as she wiped the sand from her rear. Noctis held his right arm, as if he was in pain, but let go quickly. Ignis looked slightly unkempt, but he remained in pristine condition otherwise. Gladio had shed his overshirt and was now bare chested around the group, his rippling muscles seeming to glisten with sweat. Prompto had a small, barely noticeable, limp, but looked fine. Once he saw her, the youthful blond ran to her, his injury forgotten.

“Hope you didn’t get too bored waiting for us.” He said as he pulled out his camera. “I got a lot of shots to show you.” She watched as he booted up his camera and began to load the images. She saw the Seadevils as they were, monstrosities against nature and while they appeared terrifying, she wasn’t afraid of them. She was more intrigued by them. She wanted to see them up close, and there was only one way to do that. She pushed the desire aside as he showed her more images. In the next one, Ignis had used a weapon to hurl himself into the air and it looked like he was flying. The very next still was of him bringing the weapons head down upon the enemy, crushing its skull as it made contact. There was another image of Noctis in mid attack, glowing slightly blue. He went on to explain that he could do what he called a warpstrike, a skill reserved for the line of Lucis and the soldiers to protect said line. The following image was what he called a selfie. He positioned his camera to face him as a Seadevil raged behind him. The concept confused her, as it did not seem like the opportune moment to take a picture of oneself, but to each his own.

She pointed to the leg that he wasn’t putting much weight on when she first saw them, and pulling out her phone, she texted him:

_What happened? You didn’t get too hurt did you?_

“What, this?” he asked as he pulled up his pant leg slightly. A small gash decorated his skin, not deep enough to need stitches, but still enough to bandage at least. Her eyes went wide as concern and worry coursed through her veins, and without thinking, she rushed him back into the hotel room. She forced him to sit in a chair by the door and, despite her anxiety of touch, pulled his pant leg up as high as she could get it. She rummaged through his bag for a potion, something that was foreign to her but he’d showed her what they were used for, and cracking it against his skin, the wound seemed to dry and scab over immediately. She pulled out her phone once more and texted Ignis, who had followed the two of them.

_Bandage?_

She watched as the keen man to her left went into the bathroom and returned holding a roll of gauze. She unrolled a bit and wrapped it tightly around Prompto’s injury. Once she backed away from him, she was breathing heavily and sweat had situated itself at her brow. That was a lot for her, and she looked at her hands, the liquid of the potion still lingering on her fingertips, and back at Prompto, then at Ignis. Then, pushing through every fear she had, she approached Prompto, pointed at him, her eyebrows downward like she was angry.

She heard Ignis chuckle lightly, which only confused her. She turned her features to face him, her eyebrows downward toward him as well. “If I am not mistaken, I do believe that she is scolding us.” His accented voice said with a smile gracing his ever regal features. Prompto raised his palms to her, a sign of surrender.

“Okay, okay, I promise not to get hurt again.” And with a sigh, she put her hand upon her chest and fell back into the chair on the other side of the room. She didn’t realize just how exhausted she felt until she sat. “I’m sorry that you got worried.” He said sheepishly from his chair. He rose to stand, approached her, and squatted down so that he could see her features. “Thanks Morrigan. We all know I wouldn’t have done it myself.” He said to her. And to their surprise, she reached her hand out and touched the crown of his head gently but removed it just as quickly. He didn’t make any motions to return her touch, but he smiled up at her and rose to leave the room.

**********

That night, as she lay in bed listening to the shower run, she thought about everything that she’d done. She hadn’t touched anyone willingly in three years. Today took a lot out of her. She curled into a ball under the duvet, pulling the pillow over her head. She didn’t want to be seen, by anyone. The shower stopped and she knew that Ignis would appear from behind that door soon, and she felt that she couldn’t bear the thought of seeing him.

She listened as the bathroom door opened and she heard as he softly walked to his own bed. “You’ll not get enough air to breath properly that way.” He said, a smile coloring his tone. How did he always know that she wasn’t asleep? She made sure she wouldn’t be seen. Without turning to face him, she grabbed her phone and sent him a message.

_I’m sorry._

“Whatever for?” he asked as he put his phone down against his leg but still in his hand. It buzzed again after a pause.

_Scolding you guys. I was just worried._

“Worry is nothing to apologize for. It is a natural emotion that one has for something they care for.” He explained as he finally put his phone down completely on the nightstand. She finally turned to face him and put her own phone beside his. Still sitting and facing her, he went on. “I surmise that you have not had much experience in caring for someone other than yourself since your sister passed.” His eyes watched her features as she tried her hardest not to let her mask crack. “You may put off an air of indifference, but do know that I can see passed it.” And just like he had pulled off a bandaid quickly, her fragile mask finally broke and tears fell from her eyes. “May I?” he asked as he moved to the floor beside her bed and raised his hand slowly. She nodded slowly and closed her eyes as the tears continued to fall. She felt as his thumb every so barely touched her skin to wipe away the tears that streamed downward, the feeling of his skin against hers sending chills down her spine. She opened her eyes once he removed his hand from her face.  
  
“Morrigan, do not be afraid of the emotions that you are feeling. Feel them as much as you see fit. If you’re angry, show it. If you’re sad, cry. We will not stop you.” He said, his voice low as if he was holding back his own emotions. He rose suddenly and made his way back to his own bed. As he crawled underneath his own duvet, he said, “I’ll see you in the morning Morrigan. Please try to get some due rest.”

  


As the silence ticked on and she heard his even breathing of sleep taking him, she grasped her phone and sent him one last message before finally succumbing to sleep herself.

_I’m afraid. I’m afraid to trust people. I’m afraid to try. But maybe with you guys, I can be normal again. I want you guys to know me, the real me, who I was before. But I’m scared. I just hope that you guys don’t think any differently of me once everything is out._

**********

The sun rose high into the sky as they boarded the boat headed for Altissia. Everything was completely fine as it began to move, but before long, Morrigan was rushing to the side of the vessel, emptying the contents of her stomach into the sea. Someone had the bright idea of taking her below deck where she couldn’t see the water and feel the swaying as much, but her mind remained fuzzy as they walked. Finally sitting against a wall near the small bathroom that the vessel contained, she could finally make out Prompto on the chair near her.

“Do you want some water?” he asked as he leaned forward toward her and put his arms on his knees. She put her hand up, a sign of refusal as she was afraid to move her head. She pulled her phone from her back pocket and typed out a message to him.

_Can you get Ignis down here too? I want to talk to both of you._

“Uh, yeah, sure. Just a sec.” he replied as he stood. He disappeared for what seemed like hours, but when he returned, Ignis trailed behind him. They both sat in two of the four chairs surrounding the table.

_Can you make it to where I can text both of you at the same time?_ The text that she sent Prompto upon his return read.

“Yeah. It’s called a group chat. You can add as many people as you like and you can talk to all of them that way. It’s made for friends that can’t get together often and family for the same reason. Give me a sec.” the blond replied as he tapped away at his phone. “Okay, we’re in a group chat. Go ahead and type whatever you wanna say.”

She looked at the screen and saw that a new thread had been created for just the three of them, as their names lined the top of the screen. She tapped her thumbs against the virtual keyboard as she began to tell her tale.

_When I was 10, my momma got sick. There was times when she was in better health than some, but most times, she was forced to stay in bed. During that time, my daddy started drinking, a lot. He did before, but he drank more and more while momma was sick. By the time I was 13, she was too sick to leave her bed at all, and daddy was always drunk. When he was drunk, he was mad. He would always throw things at my sister and me, or kick us out of the house and make us stay outside at night. Then momma died and he kicked us out and told us to never come back. I don’t know why._

She sent that bit but continued to type as they both read her words.

_When I was 17, the sister that I had spent my whole life taking care of died. An Iron Giant came from the ground and hit her down with his sword. I ran screaming into the night and came upon a small outpost and hoped that someone would help me. That’s where I met him. I don’t remember his name, but I remember that he was big around the belly and he had, I think, a goatee that was messy on his face. He offered me help for a price. He didn’t make it seem like such a big deal at first, but when it came down to it, he pulled a gun out from his pants and forced me to do things that I don’t want to remember. I yelled for help but people just walked by or pretended not to see what was going on._

_I stopped talking after that. I have not said a word in 3 years. It didn’t help me then so why would it help me now? That’s why I don’t like to touch people. That’s why I don’t want to trust people. But that was before I met you 2. You 2 have showed me a lot of kindness in the short time I’ve been with you and I wanted to thank you for it. I feel that with you guys I can be me again._

She put her phone down as she watched the two of them read her tale in silence. Prompto sat his phone down and hit the table lightly with his hand balled into a fist. Ignis simply sat his phone down beside the younger mans and pinched the bridge of his nose as he rested his elbows on his knees.

“Is that why you’re afraid of Gladio? Because he’s big like that guy?” Prompto’s voice asked, barely above a whisper. She found strength to nod, but a wave of dizziness followed soon after. “And that’s why you couldn’t stop looking at my gun the other night, right?” She nodded again, closing her eyes against the wave of nausea that came with it.

“What can we do to help you?” Ignis asked as he lowered his arms, letting his hands hang free. Seconds passed, and their phones buzzed in unison.

_Teach me to fight._

Their eyes went wide as they read her words. They both knew full well that she had no formal training with weapons of any kind. With a determined grin plastered to his features, Prompto spoke. “Choose a weapon and we’ll try.”

And she was afraid, so afraid, but she was excited. Even if she didn’t stay with these people long enough to be remembered, she could at least learn a few somethings to defend herself. The only problem that presented itself was every time she went on deck, her stomach would roll and she would expel any of its contents. The two of them agreed that it would be best to wait until they were on solid ground before they did any training.

**********

The ride was filled with silence as Prompto and Ignis took turns accompanying her below deck. At one point, Gladiolus appeared with Ignis, making her draw closer to the wall next to the bed that she was laying on. The large man stopped at the table and raised his hands, a sign of peace.

“Woah, I’m not gonna hurt ‘cha.” His voice said softly. She stilled her body but remained against the wall. “The guys told me you wanted to learn to defend yourself, and I would like to teach you. I trained all these guys as well as most of the Glaives, that are out and about right now. My father trained me as well as the Glaives in his time.” He began to explain. “I guess what I wanted to ask you is, are you okay with me being your trainer?”

Her eyes went wide as she looked at Ignis’ form.

“Morrigan, he can offer you valuable skills in most weaponry, not to harm you. He is not the man that hurt you in the past, nor will he ever be. Gladio looks tough, but inside, that is not what he is. He is a normal person with his own thoughts and feelings. You can be assured that he does not wish to harm you in any way.” Ignis explained. She looked back at Gladiolus, who had his hand outstretched. She sat up carefully to examine his form more closely.

He was big alright, but his amber eyes were kind. Nothing about him screamed at her to run. She noticed many differences between him and the man that hurt her. Besides his size, Gladiolus was more soft, like the angles of his body weren’t as sharp. His eyebrows weren’t as thick or long and he didn’t seem to radiate an awful ooze of malice. Overall, Gladiolus was clean, whereas the man that hurt her was filthy, and not just in the cleanliness factor either. Maybe, just maybe, Gladiolus wasn’t as bad as her first impression led her to think.

She swallowed hard as he reached her hand out to his and, surprising even herself, she took his giant maul of a hand in her tiny one and grasped it firmly. He returned the gesture, firm but kind, not intimidating, but not slack either. She pulled away quickly, before she could even think about what she’d done and returned to the wall behind her. She looked at the hand that just touched his. His hands were rough, calloused, but not enough to hurt. She could tell that he’d had many years of weapon training and the scars shown on his body were enough to tell her that any battle he’d gotten into, he’d won. He was confident, but not cocky, she noticed as he nodded at her and left the room. Her heart raced in her chest and Ignis sat in the nearby chair at the table.

“You can trust us. You know that, right?” His accented voice asked, his tone filled with doubt that she’d never seen him feel before. She nodded quickly. “You can trust me. You know that as well, correct?” His tone was still filled with doubt as she looked carefully as his form. His outward appearance remained as regal as ever, but she noticed his usually bright green eyes were not shining as much and he seemed a little flustered. He turned away from her quickly, like he didn’t want her seeing something. Whether or not he saw it, she nodded again. He rose to stand, the back of the chair hitting the table. “Prompto will be down in a bit. He wanted to show you some pictures he has taken.” And with those words still floating in the air, he turned to leave. She noticed that he seemed to linger at the bottom of the steps for a brief moment before finally ascending them and disappearing above deck.

Prompto arrived shortly afterwards, camera in hand. He showed her images of the sea, Angelgard Island, Noctis fishing (a lot of those it seemed), Gladio training his muscles and Ignis drinking a can of Ebony. As she skimmed through the pictures, she realized that she wanted to go above deck and look into the water. After a bit of charades, Prompto finally relented and helped her up the stairs and into the sunlight. Since the boat wasn’t moving, her stomach didn’t churn as much, but the ever swaying of the boat still had her near the edge, holding the railing for support. She watched as Noctis reeled in a determined fish and turn to the others to show off his catch. That was when the young prince noticed her.

“Hey, you feeling alright?” he asked as he dispelled his fishing rod. With a small nod, she gestured toward him and made a reeling motion. “Fishing?” She nodded and made a confused face. “Where did my rod go?” he asked and she shook her head and drew a line in the air with her finger. “The fishing line? Are you telling me to respool it?” A roar of laughter erupted around her as the others realized what she was implying.

“It seems our friend has noticed your bad habit of not respooling when you should.” Ignis’ accented voice spoke through his chuckles. The sight of him smiling caused her heart to skip a beat and her palms started sweating. What was she feeling?

“It’s always the silent one that you gotta look out for.” Gladio’s booming voice pipped up, causing her to jump slightly. She turned to face him. His arm was up like he was about to clasp her shoulder, an action that she’d seen him do previously when one of them had a particularly good comeback to Noctis’ antics, but he stopped himself quickly and gave her a thumbs up with a giant grin.

“What about you Morrigan. Do you have any hobbies?” Prompto inquired as he finally managed to compose himself and put his camera away. She realized that he’d taken a picture of what had just transpired, but she didn’t mind it. She pulled out her phone and his buzzed soon in reply. “Gardening?” he asked as he read her reply. 

“That is a skill to have. May I ask how you got into it?” Ignis asked, his eyebrows slightly raised. It bothered her a bit that he wasn’t smiling anymore. She typed out her reply.

“’When my momma asked me to plant flowers with her one day. My sister wasn’t born yet and I wanted something that I could do with my mom, so she taught me how to plant things like flowers, some herbs and vegetables. She thought the skill would help me in the future, but I never got the chance to actually use it once she died.’” Prompto read off for the group. “Hey Noct, remember those empty garden boxes that that lady always had outside her shop? Nora I think her name was. If Morrigan was with us then, maybe she could have actually done something with them.” He then said.

“Yeah, I remember that lady. She would always chase me away from her shop because I broke that flower vase when I was a kid. It’s not like I went in there looking to break it.” Noctis replied with a smile as he remembered the memory. A painful silence filled the air as the four of them seemed to remember fond memories of the now fallen Insomnia. Prompto’s phone buzzed suddenly, breaking the stillness.

_I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to made anyone sad._

“No, you didn’t make us sad. It’s not the memories that get you.” He began to explain as he tapped his head. “It’s the feeling that comes with them.” He tapped his chest where his heart was. 

“It is always nice to remember where one came from.” Ignis said as he looked at the ocean, his eyes distant.

She moved to return below deck. The sight of everyone upset made her heart hurt and knowing that it was her fault hurt her more. As she covered herself beneath the blanket of the small bed that was there, her phone buzzed in her back pocket. She pulled it out to see Ignis’ name plastered against the screen.

_You did not do anything to upset us. Memories just get the best of some, and while it is nice to remember them, it does seldomly bring one feelings of sadness. We know you did not mean to and we are not angry with you._

She didn’t type anything in response for she was deep in her own memories. She hadn’t taken a single moment to think of her own mother. While talking about her in such a light as she was, everything about her mother brought an ache to her heart. She missed her terribly, as well as her sister. She missed having some normalcy in her life, some stability. She was only with these people until they reached Altissia, but where would she go from there? She didn’t know the exact reason for their journey there, but she assumed they would return back to the land of Lucis, so maybe she could ride with them again, but where was she to go from there? She had tried her hardest not to get close to anyone from the group, but as she thought about not being with Prompto or Ignis, the first two of the group to show her any kindness, anything resembling common decency for another human life, her heart felt like it was going to be ripped in two.

**********

Altissia was a bright beacon of hope on the barren ocean. The idea of being surrounded by so much water terrified her, but a fire ignited in her veins as the thought about being on solid ground. The guys seemed to understand her excitement as Prompto helped her above deck so that she could put her feet on solid land. The first thing she saw was a small flower stand, she assumed for civilians to buy floral arrangements for departing loved ones. She didn’t want to buy anything, she just wanted to enjoy their fragrance, and the kind memories that came with it. The four boys lingered behind as they watched her, and she noticed that Ignis watched her more closely than she’d seen him before, but he turned quickly and mused Noctis about something.

After the flower stand, they made their way down a strip of stores, one of them being a bridal boutique. The dress in the window was something that made her feel completely at peace, like things weren’t as bad as they really were. She knew that the state of the world was crumbling and she was thankful for small moments like these. It was like the simple thought of a wedding brought her a calmness that she hadn’t felt for as long as she could remember.

“You’ve gotta meet with the First Secretary, right?” Gladiolus asked as he turned toward the young prince to his left.

“Uh, yeah, I guess.” Noctis replied as he seemed to think about what to say. Apparently while she was in the lower half of the boat, a lot was being discussed above deck, and some of it involved her.

“There’s a big enough area around there for training, so I can take Morrigan to do that, if she’s okay with it.” The big man spoke as he looked at her. She nodded cautiously, as if she didn’t want to do anything that would upset him. She shot a glance at Prompto, who spoke up.

“You mind if I came along big guy?” 

“Just stay outta the way.” Gladiolus replied as he sucked his teeth. He understood his reasoning for wanting to accompany them, but he felt that the youth would get in the way or distract her.

“I do wish to see how this fairs as well.” Ignis’ accented voice spoke, taking her from her own thoughts that she didn’t realize she had sunk into. 

With those final words, the group split up, with Noctis entering Camelia Claustra’s fair estate, and Ignis, Prompto, Gladiolus and herself going below the grand residence into a corridor that led to a great and lovely painting of the Lakshmi. Gladiolus waved his arm above the ground, and in a blue flash, various styles of weapons appeared in a line on the floor. Ignis did the same and various smaller daggers appeared. She realized that Prompto didn’t make motion to do the same. She figured since he knew that she was afraid of handheld artillery, he didn’t want to put her into a position where she was uncomfortable. Instead, he sat on a rusted barrel in the corner and watched, his eyes wide as the scanned over each weapon. 

Scanning the weapons strewn out before her, staves, javelins, swords of various sizes and styles, she glanced at Gladio, who waited patiently for her to choose. She picked up a small sword, maybe the length of her arm and put it back down. She didn’t like the way it felt in her hands. Picking up a javelin, one that Ignis had summoned, she twirled it clumsily, making it fall to the ground with a loud clatter. She picked it back up quickly and put it with the others. Finally, she picked up a staff, solid metal and strong, but light enough to swing and cause some damage if need be. She tapped it to the ground twice before looking at the burly man before her and nodded. With a snap of his and Ignis’ fingers, the weapons vanished from before her, save the staff she was holding. He summoned a simple staff similar to the one she held. She heard footsteps and looked to see Ignis approaching Prompto and he leaned against the wall, his arms crossed over his chest, watching.

“Good choice for a novice.” Gladio said as he held firm to the metal in his hands. He held the staff parallel to his body and she mirrored his action, a smile crossed his features as if he was pleased with her display. “A staff is used mainly to get people off of you. You can push them back as well as knock out their knees. You could also use it to push yourself forward, like Ignis does with his javelins sometimes. We’ll get to that at another time though. Do what I do.”

And as he raised the weapon in front of him, his hands only a foot apart at the middle, she did the same. He swung low and slow, and she did the same. He swung out toward the middle of his body and she did the same, and then lifting it over his head, he swung in the air, and she did the same.

“Okay, good so far. We’re doing this to get you used to how it feels moving in your hands. Does it feel okay to you?” he explained and asked as he placed the staff parallel to him once more. She nodded quickly. “Overtime, you could do fancy moves and if you know where to strike, you can knock someone out without doing much damage to them, but we’re here to just teach you to defend. So, I’m gonna ask you to put this on, and you’ll have to trust me.” He spoke as he pulled out a bandana from his back pocket and handed it to her. She looked at the quizzically as he went on to explain. “You never know if you’ll actually be able to see the person that’s attacking you or not, so you have to rely on your other senses to get by. It’s one of the first things I taught the guys. Don’t worry, I won’t touch you. All I want you to do is cover your eyes and you tap me with the staff when you think I’m close.”

She took the bandana gingerly and placed it over her eyes, tying it tightly at the back of her head. She was surrounded by darkness and silence as the slowed her breathing. If Gladiolus was moving, he was as silent as a Tonberry. Then she heard it, a slight jingle, she assumed from the chain he had at his waist. She reached out with the staff and tapped something, hard.

“Good. Go again.” His voice called through her personal darkness.

This time, all she could hear was her breathing. She held her breath to steady herself, but he was already at her.

“Maybe next time.” Was all he said calmly.

They went on like this for what felt like hours until he took the staff from her grip and told her to remove the bandana. “You got 35 out of 50. Not bad, but it could use work.” He informed calmly as he took the cloth back and returned it to his back pocket. “You may have no had any formal training, but there is something there that tells me you’ve had your own battles, big or small.” 

She highly doubted that going after her drunken father with a frying pan counted, but she took the compliment as sincere. She held out her hand to him, surprising the group. With a grin and chuckle, he took it lightly and shook it. She let go quickly and returned her hand to her side as Ignis spoke up.

“It appears as if Noct is done with his deliberations. I suggest we rendezvous with him either at the hotel or the plaza.” He looked at his phone once more as it buzzed lightly in his hand. “It seems as if Madame Claustra has given us rooms at the hotel for the night.”

“Well at least we have somewhere to sleep tonight.” Prompto spoke up and as if he was struck suddenly, his blue eyes went wide. “I’m rooming with Morrigan!” he shouted, his voice echoing off the walls. The other two men looked at him questioningly. “Come on, you roomed with her the last two nights. It’s my turn” he whined as he looked at Ignis.  
Morrigan looked on at the two men as they spoke about her in kind regard and couldn’t help but smile at their antics. It reminded her of the squalls that her and her sister would have when they were children, before everything went to hell. She clapped to stop them from talking, pointed to herself and then Prompto and gave a thumbs up toward him. His features beamed as he realized what she’d meant and much to her surprise, he… danced? If one could call it dancing. He raised one arm into the air, brought it downward and then did the same with the other arm. She couldn’t help but laugh at his display, a sound that she hadn’t heard in a long while. The boys didn’t hear the sound as they were still talking, Prompto boasting about winning all the while.

**********

The shower inside the lavish hotel room that was acquired for them was amazing. It seemed almost as big as the sleeping area itself! The water that fell upon her was soft and the soap that the hotel provided actually made her feel clean without leaving a residue on her skin. Then again, the supplies that she managed to snag at the outposts back on Lucis were better than nothing, but it was like this soap was made from the Astrals themselves. Once out and dressed in the pajamas that Iris had bought for her, she approached the bed and lowered her body to sit. Prompto announced that he was going to take his own shower and left her alone in the room.

Laying back with her hands behind her head and fingers laced together, she wondered what she would do now. She was sure that their time in Altissia was coming to a close, so where would she go from there? Would she be welcome to stay with the group? Would she be cast aside and sent on her way? Doubt began to cloud her mind as she thought about the possibility of being alone once more. Four days and three nights she’d been with this ragtag crew of people; and it bothered her greatly that she would be alone once they arrived back on the shores of Lucis. Could someone become a friend in such a short time? Did she dare consider these people friends? They’d done a lot for her and for that, she was thankful.

The shower silenced as she heard Prompto rummaging around behind the door. He emerged from the steamy room with a contented sigh.

“Ah, there’s something about taking a shower in a real shower.” He said as he grabbed his phone and began to fiddle with it. She grasped her own and pulled up his contact information and sent him a message.

_What’s gonna happen when we get back?_

“Honestly, I don’t know. Noct was supposed to marry Lady Lunafreya, but with what’s happened, it’s not gonna happen now. He needs to make a pact with the Tidemother here before we leave so that he can do what he needs to do, but I don’t even know how that’s gonna go.” Prompto explained as he lowered his phone. She sighed at his words. So he didn’t know either. “But, I think its safe to say that you’ll be staying with us afterwards.” Her eyes lit up as he spoke. “We’ve been talking about it and we want you to stay with us. Only if you want that is. We don’t want to force you to stay, but…” his voice trailed as he failed to find the words he wanted to convey. “Gladio says he sees something in you that he wants to draw out through training, so that’s a good thing. Iggy talked about you a lot and I’ve only ever seen him be worried about Noct, so that’s cool.”

Her cheeks reddened as she listened to his words. Ignis was worried? She wasn’t someone worth worrying about. Gladiolus sees something in her? What did that mean?

_What about Noctis?_

“Noct thinks differently than us. He’s focused on making the pact and he hasn’t said much otherwise. It’s like he wants to be done with this and after the way the Archaean treated him, I don’t blame him. He’s aloof and he doesn’t want anyone to know that he’s still alive for now, which I get. He has said that he enjoys your company. You don’t force him to do stuff he doesn’t want to.” Prompto explained with a smile.

_And what about you?_

As silly as she felt asking these questions, her heart warmed as he answered them. “Me? I think you’re cool. You just need to be treated the way that anyone deserves, like a human being who has flaws.” He moved from his own bed to sit beside her, but she didn’t slink away from the closeness. “I think there is someone in there who is a stupidly great person. We just gotta find her again.” She lifted her hand and lightly thumped him on his forehead. “Oh no! She struck me down!” he said gaily as he fell backwards touching the spot she’d thumped. “With one swift move, she defeated me…” and he played dead, complete with a comical ‘bleh’ sound and his tongue hanging out of his mouth. She laughed, a real laugh, one that came from deep within her stomach. He sat back up, laughing, as he returned to his own bed. “You get some sleep. I’ll see you in the morning.”

With those words still resonating through the air, she turned off her lamp, pulled the blanket over her head, and closed her eyes; but a well deserved night of sleep did not welcome her. Visions of her father greeted her as she entered the dream world. His drunken slurs and acts of anger taunted her no matter how quickly she moved her feet.

“You’re nothing but a damn idiot!”

“You’ll never be anything to me!”

“Get outta my face!”

She felt him grab her around her throat, her breath leaving her mouth in small puffs.

“You’ll never be the woman your mother was. You never be anything. You’re just a dumb bitch that can’t even be a dumb bitch right. You’re a disgrace.”

She felt as he lifted her small body and threw it against the bricks that he always had laying around in piles outside. She tried to stand, but her legs wouldn’t move. She felt everything as every hit he landed on her with whatever he could find made contact, sending arches of pain through every pore. Her body scream as he began to throw bricks from a pile near him, every one of them making contact somewhere on her person. By the time he was out of ammunition, her body was broken and bruised, her face a mass of purple, blue and red.

“But daddy…” she heard her weak voice say, it just as broken as her body was.

“I ain’t your daddy. I don’t even know who you are.” His voice slurred. 

She looked back at the house and saw her little sister standing there in her white dress, tears staining her features as she watched, and a broken flower falling to the ground, only to be stomped and spit on by her fathers boots. Her vision went red as hate filled her veins and she tried to stand, only to be pushed back down into the dirt by unseen hands. They gripped at her back, pulling her skin, sending waves of fire through her tiny frame. They pulled her legs into unimaginable contortions, bone snapping like twigs. They pulled her arms, twisting them round like a pretzel. And all she could do was scream, scream until all that came out of her mouth was a hoarse whisper.

Her eyes shot open to see Prompto above her, fighting his own urge to reach out. She sat up as quickly as he sat beside her. Pushing through every fear she had, the feeling of wanting to be comforted bested them, and she reached her arms around Prompto’s slightly bigger frame and wept into his chest. All he could do was rub her hair, as unruly as it was, and offer light but soothing noises. Once her tears finally subsided, he returned to his own bed. The two of them looked at one another, and with a nod to each other, they laid back down to continue their nights sleep.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I feel like I'm good at making dick characters. I also have a problem with father figures. Why is this an occurring theme in anything I write? Oh yeah, I know why.
> 
> Also, I just have to brag for a minute. ROBBIE, MAX AND RAY HAVE RECOGNIZED ME ON TWITTER! This is not a drill. They liked my tweet. It's a small thing, but holy fuck did it mean a lot to me.


	3. Future

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This was fun. I'm not gonna lie, I feel like my muse is working with me a lot better on this go around than with my last. As of now, I am not content with my last fic involving Ignis, but we all have to learn to grow, right?

The golden city, the beacon of hope in Eos, was gone. Most submerged and what wasn’t sunk into the deep, unforgiving waters was torn asunder, never to be the same if repaired. Prince Noctis lay sleeping on the bed to her right, Prompto resting as well, though his injury wasn’t as severe, Gladiolus piloting the boat; they didn’t know where Ignis was.

The Alter of the Tidemother was all but destroyed once they arrived. Noctis was just too close to the waters edge, his fingertips tapping the edge as the stone he lay on slowly sank. Gladiolus worked quickly to remove him from such a precarious position. A large white haired man with what appeared to be a prosthetic arm had lowered himself to the crumbling ground before the body of a beautiful blonde. Even from her vantage point far from everything, she could tell that the woman had passed. Her body was too still. She even watched as the white clad man gingerly picked up her frame and walked away from them slowly. She wanted to comfort him; the pain painted on his features reminding her of her own. 

She watched as the Princes’ features changed, as if he was having a peaceful dream to a nightmare, but they returned to rest as quickly as they had come. Prompto had rolled over once and was finally beginning to sit up as he held his head.

“You feelin’ alright?” he asked as he noticed her form against the wall. She couldn’t move to make motion to confirm or deny his words. Physically, she felt like she had been run over my one of the many tanks she saw about the city. Emotionally, her brain felt like static. She didn’t want to think. She held her hands to her eyes to make her own finger glasses. “You’re worried about Ignis?” She nodded in response. “I’m sure he’s fine. He’s too stubborn to get hurt.” He replied, his tone no where near as confident as he was trying to be. “We’ll find him.”

“Hey! We’re almost back. Iris is at Cape Caem waiting.” The booming voice of Gladiolus shouted from above deck. She saw Prompto look in her direction and with a nod, the two of them ascended the steps, Morrigan right behind him.

**********

Iris ran between the three of them, throwing out question after question. Finally, Gladiolus stopped her by simply placing a hand on her tiny arm. Her amber eyes began to fill with tears as he explained everything that had happened in great detail. She ran back into the small wooden house she had moved into once he was complete with his storytelling. Silence surrounded the three of them once more until he made a fist and announced that he needed some air and he turned his back to the two of them and walked away. The two of them made their way back below deck, and with a little help from her, Prompto was able to lift the sleeping Prince onto his back and carry him back into the small house that Iris called home.

As he placed the sleeping prince down into a bed that Iris had set up for him, he turned to her, his features knit with concern, and something else that she couldn’t place. “You’re stronger than you realize. You know that right?” his voice began, low in the silent room. She looked at him quizzically. “I can’t explain it.” He moved to sit beside her on the other bed in the room. “You’ve been through so much, and yet, you’re still here.” He raised his arm to clasp her shoulder, and to his surprise, she let him. Her skin pricked up at his touch, but she didn’t feel afraid. “We’ll find Iggy. You know that right? And who knows, maybe you’ll find your happiness too.” He was silent as she absorbed his words. She looked at him and realized that what he was saying was hard for him too, like he was trying to convince himself of his own words. “You can be happy with us.” And with a final squeeze of her shoulder, he rose to stand tall, and left her alone with the slumbering prince.

She gazed at Noctis’ form, unsure of what the future held. She was back within the lands of Lucis, and she was still with this ragtag group of boys, but she couldn’t help but feel apprehensive of everything surrounding her. Normally, if she was with a group of people, they would have abandoned her by now. However, she had spent five days with these people; five wonderful days! She felt included, wanted. She felt like she had friends. Maybe Prompto was right. She could find happiness again, and maybe it would be with them. Her heart skipped a beat as she thought about Ignis’ smile and started again as she thought about Promptos’ antics, and a smile crept onto her lips as she thought about Gladiolus’ brotherly love for them all. She imagined a future with the boys, full of laughter and fun. Suddenly feeling the determination of a mother hen protecting it’s young, she rose and left the room, her mind in a whirl of emotions and thoughts that even she couldn’t explain.

**********

Gladiolus placed his phone upon the table and looked at her. She’d made up her mind and he knew that there wasn’t anything he could do to change it. She wanted more training, she demanded it.

_If the line of Lucis relies on Noctis, then I want to be there to make sure that it goes on. Teach me everything I need to know._

And in typical Gladiolus fashion, he drilled her. His words hurt, but she knew that he was just testing her; seeing if she was truly willing to lay down everything for the all but gone line.

“What makes you think you’re good enough?” he asked her.

_I know I’m not good enough, but I want to be. I want to be able to keep him safe like you do. I know I’ll never be able to beat you at anything with strength, but I’m at least wanting to try._

“Why do you want to?” That question was a little harder to answer. She couldn’t properly tell him everything, but she did try.

_Because you guys are the only ones that have showed me any kindness in the least bit in a long time. And maybe when it’s all said and done, I can pass this on to someone else._

“You know this path in life is dangerous right? Are you willing to lay down your life for that punk in there?” Without hesitation, she answered.

_I would do anything it takes to keep him, as well as you guys, safe. Tell me to do it and I will._

Gladiolus was silent before he rose to stand and leave the kitchen, his expression something that she couldn’t place. He walked outside and she didn’t see him for a while. He returned right before dinner was called, thanks to Monica, and pulled her away from everyone.

“You sure you wanna do this?” he asked her, his arms crossed over his giant torso. She nodded, her features determined. “You know you could die right?” She nodded once more. 

“Then we start at six. Set an alarm.” And with that, he sat at the dinner table and waited for everyone else to sit around him. She sat across from him, beside Prompto, and watched as he began to plate his own food before offering her a piece of Daggerquill breast. She waved her hand at it but, pointed at a bowl of potatoes.  
The five of them ate in silence as they mulled over the days events. Altissia was gone, Ignis was missing, Noctis was healing, but a fire had been lit inside her, one that she wouldn’t let anyone extinguish again. She wanted the future she saw herself having; the future she deserved.

**********

The blaring alarm woke up suddenly from her slumber. As she groped for the infernal beeping, she glanced out the nearby window. Six in the morning was dark. Finally silencing the hellish sound, she rose and dressed herself in a black tank top and dark washed jeans. She realized with a smile that the entire ensemble made her look a lot paler than she actually was. She brushed her hair out of her face and put it up in a small bun on the top of her head, most of it not long enough to stay in the pony tail and falling back down by her shoulders and made her way downstairs where Gladiolus was waiting.

“You ready?” his gruff voice asked. With a nod, the two of them left the house and the sleeping residents that lay inside.

The campsite near the house offered a lovely view of the ocean, though the waves brought her trepidation. The much bigger man had promised that he wouldn’t let her fall in, and she trusted him, which surprised her. He summoned their staves again in a blue flash and held his parallel to his body, and she mirrored his movements as he began a warm up by slowly twisting and turning it around his body, slowly quickening his pace as she kept up. It didn’t take her long to get the hang of the movements he was doing, so he began more intricate movements, which she struggled to keep up with, but she managed not at all gracefully. Every time she would mess up, he never yelled or got mad. Instead, he encouraged her. He told her than mistakes happen, just learn from them. He told her to not be afraid to ask him to slow down. She finally found a pace that she felt comfortable at, and he lowered his own pace to match hers. He struck out at her suddenly, surprising her, but she stepped to the left in a quick dodge.

“Good. Go again.”

He threw another jab at her, which she deflected by raising her own staff and pushing his off to the right. A smile graced his features and he stopped. He was still for half a beat before he lunged at her once more, but she didn’t get to dodge in time. She landed on her rear, hard. She pulled herself up with the help of the staff and contemplated for a moment before she struck back, aiming for his leg. He moved effortlessly away from her attack and tapped her with his staff on her arm. She understood his game, and she was willing to play. He lunged at her again and she spun around so that her back was facing him, and while his staff was still out, she pulled hers close to her and tapped his stomach lightly, and she tapped him again just because she could. She turned to face him, her eyes bright with accomplishment. All he did was nod with a smile, and she turned her back to him once more and stepped away but readied herself for another round.

For the three days that Prince Noctis slept, she trained. Through those three days, they had done countless rounds and she’d only won a handful of them, though Gladiolus was proud either way. She woke early two days into training to find a text from him on her phone telling her to meet him at the usual place. She rose and dressed herself in her training garb, as she called it, and departed toward the training grounds. Arriving quickly, she was surprised to see a sleepy Prompto there with him. The youthful blond couldn’t contain his excitement at seeing her as he ran to her and began talking entirely too fast. She pointed toward the imposing form of Gladiolus, who looked over the sea before him, and Prompto nodded. He stayed where he was as she walked to him.

“Thanks for showing up early.” He began without turning to face her. “You’ve come a long way in just two days.” And finally turning to face her, both of their staves in his giant hands, he said: “Now let’s do this. No hold backs.” 

He tossed her the staff that she called her own and before it was even in her hands, he was running toward her, his own staff raised. She deftly stepped to the side and he ran passed her, but before he could get turned around, she was on him, tapping his shoulder. She jumped back and readied herself for his next attack.

“Don’t forget about the one behind you.” Promptos’ voice called out as he tapped her arm with his own staff. She shook him off and readied herself once more.

And they sparred, Prompto appearing from seemingly nowhere and her just barely managing to dodge his attacks, their staves hitting together as she pushed his away from her. Gladiolus entered her vision, rushing toward her and she stepped away from his staves reach. Hearing Prompto behind her, she spun and struck him in the side, sending him to the ground. Gladiolus was upon her once more, letting lose a yell as he jumped into the air with his staff out before him. She ducked beneath his attack and threw her own staff over her head and pushed his flying form off course. He landed on the ground with a loud _thud_. She approached his form apprehensively, but ready. As she got within his reach, he raised his staff, but in his prone position, he wasn’t able to stop her from harshly knocking the staff from his hand with hers. Everything was still for a moment before she heard a faint jingling. Without looking, she swung backwards, hitting Prompto in the stomach and sending his own form prone. She looked back at Gladiolus, who had raised himself from the ground, and put her staff parallel to her body. With one hand holding the staff before her and one behind her back, she bowed low, a sign of respect and thanks. She heard him laugh, a hearty laugh.

“Stand up straight.” He said and she did so. He had retrieved his own staff, but dispelled it in a blue flash. With another flash, he summoned a long but thin sword. “Kneel.” He said calmly. She remembered faintly the man that had asked this of her before, but Gladiolus’ tone was different, more kind, and proud. He tapped her right shoulder, then left, and finally the top of her head. “Morrigan, do you swear to protect the prince with everything you’ve got, even if that includes your life?” he asked and without skipping a beat, she nodded. “Do you swear to protect anyone that needs protecting, even at the cost of your own life?” She nodded again. Finally, a smile crossed his features. “Then, Morrigan, I can call you an honorary member of the Crownsguard. As a reward, I give this to you.”

A blue flash surrounded his outstretched hands and the sword vanished, but in it’s place was a solid metallic black staff. Simple in design, but the symbol of the Lucis royal line was engraved at the middle where a grip was. The tip was pointed into a blade, shiny and sharp in the slowly rising sun. Her eyes began to fill with tears as she grasped the weapon in her own trembling hands. A rope had been fastened to the metal so that she could wrap it around her like a normal weapon and she did so. Her hand lingered on the rope as the two men before her looked on. She wiped her eyes with the back of her hand and planted a giant smile on her lips. With the proud looks from the two of them, she lunged at them, wrapping each of them in an arm, hugging them both. She wasn’t afraid anymore and not just because she could defend herself. She had friends; and the fire that was gone from before now raged inside of her heart. She made an oath, and she intended on keeping it.

She pulled away from the two of them quickly and mouthed a thank you. The two of them smiled their warm smiles and Gladiolus ruffled her hair like one would do to a child. 

“This doesn’t mean it’s the end of the morning training. You have to stay trained. We’ll rest tomorrow morning, but then we’ll be right back at it.” Gladiolus explained. He looked toward the blond to his left. “That means you too Prompto.” And with a groan from the younger man, Gladiolus laughed, and so did she.

**********

Late in the afternoon of the next day, she watched from the window as the sun began its creeping downward spiral behind the Rock of Ravatogh. She couldn’t help but be distracted by the sunset since for the past three days she had been up to see the sunrise. She stifled a yawn as she sat in the chair that she had brought from the kitchen. Numerous times over the day, she had found herself in the same room as the sleeping Prince, bringing him bits of food or glasses of water, incase he woke up and there wasn’t anyone with him. She looked on his form and had many doubts, but she promised to remain loyal to him. She couldn’t help but wonder if he would ever be ready to be king. She didn’t have the chance to indulge in other doubts as he stirred and slowly opened his eyes with a groan.

“Where am I?” he asked, his voice groggy and confused. He turned his head to see her, her eyes wide and she quickly stood and ran from the room only to return with Prompto and Gladiolus seconds later. 

She watched as the two men filled him in on what had happened, Altissia being destroyed, Lady Lunafreya passing in order to save his own life, and Ignis missing. She could tell that their words hit him hard, like blow after blow in a flurry of strikes. He looked… despondent, to say the least. She felt her heart break once more as they retold him everything, her worry for Ignis coming back full force to grip her heart.

As silence permeated the room, she heard a phone faintly buzz. Noctis reached to the nightstand and picked his own phone up, glancing at it in surprise. Before any of them had a chance to question him, he announced; “Ravus knows where Ignis is.” And before they could question further, Noctis was making a phone call. They all sat in silence as he talked to General Ravus, his tone not letting much through, and the conversation was over as quickly as it started. 

“Well?” Prompto asked, a tone that she’d never heard him use before.

“Zegnautus Keep.” Noctis replied. “Ravus can get us in, but we’d be on our own after that.”

She walked closer to the group and held out her hand. The three of them looked at her questioningly, but she looked at Noctis, her features now filled with determination.

‘For Ignis.’ She mouthed. The prince put a smile on his lips as he put his hand on top of hers.

“For Ignis.” He replied as he pushed down lightly. Gladiolus and Prompto mirrored their actions. “Tomorrow, we’ll talk with Ravus about getting us in.”

**********

Zegnautus Keep, a magitek laboratory located well within the Niflheim Empire, and a seemingly impenetrable fortress. General Ravus had escorted the party to the elevator that would take them inside but left them with a warning before returning to his own duties. Though the Crystal was inside, it was heavily guarded and incredibly dangerous. Daemons roamed the halls in effort to keep anyone away from the Crystal, numerous MT deployments were stationed inside to keep away any venturing traveler, as well to keep the daemons from escaping. The whole place reeked with an aura of filth, but Morrigan would go through it for her friend. As the elevator opened, she readied her staff, point out towards anything that would give them problems.

“Any idea where he is?” Gladiolus had asked as they ventured up another level. Suddenly, the ground shook and she gripped the railing lining the walls until her knuckles turned white.

“I’m assuming wherever that came from.” Noctis replied. He suddenly hit the button to lead them back to the ground level. 

Her heart stopped as the elevator opened and she saw the limp form of Ignis lying on the ground surrounded by the rubble of the chamber housing the Crystal. She’d only heard stories about the legendary Lucis relic, and she never thought she would see it in person. As excited as she was to be able to see it, Ignis’ form before them caused her body to move without thinking. She was by his left side, his arm resting lightly over his stomach as his eyes slowly watched her. His body was cold, and she realized he was dying slowly and painfully. What she wouldn’t do to take the pain away. She barely heard anything that was exchanged between Noctis and himself, as tears filled her eyes and she only heard the sound of her own crying as her tears fell on his cold skin.

“If I’m some kind of savior, then why can’t I save the ones I love?” she heard him ask, his usual calm demeanor cracking into a sorrowful filled tone. She wanted to scream at him; yell at him that none of this was his fault. That Ignis chose to do this because he swore an oath to protect him, just like they all did, just like she did, knowing full well this could happen, but she couldn’t form words anymore. Her mouth flapped open and closed as she looked from Noctis to Ignis and back to Noctis. “I’m sorry…” he began, whispering. “You guys stayed with me, this whole time, and I even made a new friend,” he spoke as he looked at her, his eyes fully filled with his sorrows. “and all it’s done is cause you pain.” Taking Ignis’ hand gingerly into his own, he slid off the ring, the ring of his family, and put it onto his own ungloved hand. “Not anymore. All that ends now.” And as he held Ignis’ body in one arm, with help from her and Gladiolus between them, he raised his free hand, palm open toward the crystal. “Please…” he begged. “Lend me your strength. Help me protect my friends!”

The glow from the Crystal shone brighter and brighter until she had to cover her eyes with her free hand. She felt as Ignis’ body seemed to relax, like the strength left him finally. Flower petals, sylleblossoms she realized, fluttered and danced around her and the rest of them in an unfelt breeze. As they touched Ignis’ features, the silver burns that graced his handsome face began to fade and any pain that he felt seemed to melt from his body. Noctis moved suddenly, shifting his advisors body fully with Gladiolus and herself, and as he pulled out his Engine Blade, she grasped his arm, stopping him.

She couldn’t say anything, she just wanted him to be safe. She looked at him, his eyes wet with tears, seemingly defeated, but oh so determined all the same, and she nodded, her own features mirroring his. He took her hand and gave it a light squeeze and as he released it, he turned toward Ignis, who nodded as well. She didn’t fully understand what was going on, but she knew that the Crystal needed him, it called him, and he answered the call as she watched him warpstrike passed the barrier. He turned to them once more, his features determined, turned his back to them and walked into the crystal, disappearing entirely inside.

As the light faded and left them in darkness, Ignis’ body went limp as any strength that he had finally left him. His head fell back onto her arm as she gripped his shirt. Gladiolus shifted his frame to pick up his comrades broken frame. Prompto walked slowly beside her as she remained sunken to the ground, hunched over, and placed a hand on her back. She didn’t shy away from it, nor did she shudder at the thought.

“Come on Morrigan. Let’s get him back home.” His voice spoke weakly. He placed his hand on the underside of her arm and helped her stand. Once she was standing fully, she leaned against him, the weight of everything that had just happened suddenly hitting her all at once as more tears fell from her eyes and wails escaped her throat, the sound as foreign to her as it was them. He put his arm around her shoulders and kept her close to him as they walked, biting his bottom lip to keep his own emotions in check.

Finally boarding the boat to return back to Cape Caem, she was left alone below deck with the unconscious Ignis. She lay in the bed farthest from the door, the darker corner, while Ignis had the bed that was directly facing the entrance. All she could do was weep, for her heart hurt greatly. The people that she had considered friends were hurt and she didn’t know if she could fix it. It pained her to think that she wouldn’t be able to. What kind of friend was she? She felt that if she wasn’t with them, then maybe this wouldn’t have happened. She dug her nails into legs as she fought to stop herself from running above deck and jumping off to a watery grave, and then she dug in harder for thinking those thoughts. She finally resorted to laying down and putting the pillow over her head until lack of fresh air forced her head back out. The boat shifted slightly, and she saw Ignis’ arm fall from its resting place beside him, and she couldn’t stop herself from returning it back where it was. She noticed that his brows were knit together with concern and he was lightly mumbling something, but she couldn’t make out what was said. On top of everything that just happened, he was having a nightmare too.

“…oct… igan…” his voice whispered ever so lightly. Her eyes narrowed in hopes that she could hear him if he spoke again, but he never did. His features rested, and everything was returned to silence once more. She returned back to her own bed and closed her eyes in hopes that sleep would take her, but it never did.

**********

Iris greeted them with open arms at the docks of Cape Caem. Morrigan had slowly come to admire the girl, for as little as she was, she was feisty and strong. She was like a light in a darkness that wouldn’t be extinguished. But as Gladiolus relayed her the events that had transpired, she saw her strong features crack and shatter as she ran from the group with her hands over her face. Most of her wanted to run after the smaller girl, to bring her comfort, but her feet were rooted to the ground. Everything seemed to blur together as she forced herself to follow Gladiolus and a silent Prompto into the house that they shared as a base of operations. She watched, numb, as Gladiolus placed the broken body of Ignis in a bed and covered him up with the blanket. She finally moved when she inwardly decided that the blanket wasn’t up far enough because he still felt oh so cold to her. She pulled out her phone and typed a message to the big man before her.

_I’m gonna find your sister. I don’t think she needs to be alone right now._ And with a nod to him after he’d read it, she left the room.

She found Iris easily. The campground overlooking the ocean was as good a place as any to be alone and think. She approached her small form and sat beside her cross legged. She saw that tears stained her young features and her eyes held a pain that someone so young had no right to hold. Just how old was the girl? She was still a child for gods sake! She didn’t deserve this kind of pain so early on in her life. She let her have her moment to compose herself before she pulled out her phone and handed it to her. Overtime, she had discovered a notepad app in her phone, so she used this to talk with her since she didn’t have her number.

"We just got Noct back and now he’s gone again." Was all she managed to say before he handed the phone back to her.

_I’m not gonna pretend to know what I just saw, but I have a feeling that he’ll come back. Noctis is too hardheaded._

A chuckle came from Iris, surprising her at the sudden sound.

“You gotta point there.” She said vocally, a smile in her tone. Silence filled the space between them once more. Finally, Iris spoke again. “You wanna hear a funny story?” she asked as she faced her. Morrigan nodded, confused. “When I was about five, I pitched a fit to meet him. Gladdy kept saying that he was spoiled and a brat, but he was just a kid. You could tell that he didn’t respect him and it made me mad, so I went to meet him myself. Well, Gladdy showed up instead of him. After I threw a big tantrum, he finally relented and agreed to let me get what I wanted. When I was finally allowed this chance meeting, my bright kid mind got distracted by a cat and I followed it. It didn’t take me long to realize that I was completely lost and soaked through from the rain. That’s when Noct found me and took me back to the palace. Gladdy was angry, like super angry. But then, Noct told them that it was his fault. He told him that he asked me to play with him and he lost track of time. He apologized to Gladdy, but he was still in deep trouble and was grounded as a result. When we got home and everything was said and done, I broke down to my brother and told him the truth, what really happened. And just like that, Gladdy toned down and finally accepted the prince for what he was, a kid that didn’t want to be wrapped up in all the political crap, but that didn’t mean he was easy on him. He tore him a new one, but after that, they grew close.”

Morrigan listened as she told her story and noticed how her eyes lit up as she talked about Noctis. She may not understand how the heart of another worked, but she felt that she was right in thinking that Iris cared for Noctis more than a friend should.

_You like him?_

Iris handed her back her phone, her face flush. “Ha… Yeah, I do, but I know it’s not meant to be. I mean, he’s a prince, and I’m just, well, me. I promised myself that I wouldn’t act on my feelings, so here I am, worried sick over him.”

_You never know though. Maybe you should._

“What!? No! I could never. I’m not brave enough for that.” She replied as she laughed and handed her phone back to her. She laughed too for the innocence of Iris Amicitia was something to behold. Beside her sat this small fireball of a girl, and she was just as shy as anyone else. 

Iris rose to stand, surprising her. “Thanks Morrigan. You’re a good friend.” And with a pat on her shoulder, she watched as Iris began her ascent back to the house. 

Friend? That’s right. These people were her friends. She wouldn’t be afraid to use the word anymore. She watched as the waves crashed upon the black rocks and as the sun set slowly over the horizon. She was in complete silence until she heard footsteps approaching her. Looking for the source, she saw Prompto arriving holding a plate of what looked like spaghetti.

“Here. It’s not as good as Iggy’s but it’s still good.” He said as he sat beside her and offered it to her. She took it gently, but only picked at it. “Not hungry huh? Trust me, I get it. You’re worried and that’s okay.” He validated her feelings. He didn’t try to tell her that it was stupid to feel what she felt, he understood her and her feelings. He moved once more and pulled out a small cloth that was bundled up in his jacket. “Oh yeah, Monica wanted me to give that to you. Since you’re an honorary member now, I begged her to make you some swag. Really, it’s just the Crownsguard insignia patch sewed onto a shirt, but it means that you’re one of us now!” She grasped at the fabric tightly. She couldn’t stop the smile that crossed her features. Her life had a meaning now. She sat it down lightly beside her and threw one arm around the man beside her in a light hug. “You’re welcome.” He replied as he gathered the nature of her expression.

She rose to stand but the wet rocks caused her to slip. She saw Prompto rise to his feet as fast as he could before her head went underneath the black waves. She flailed her arms in an attempt to get herself upward but by the time she was fully submerged, she didn’t know which way was up, and it felt like the Hydraean itself had twisted around her legs and forced her body still. Her chest felt like it was on fire as she struggled to think. Just as she saw darkness taking over her vision, she felt someone wrap arms around her waist and she was being pulled upward. As her head broke the surface she let out a loud gasp, followed by coughing as she spit up the water trapped in her lungs. She felt herself be pushed back onto the rocks and she scrambled to get as far away from the water as she could, still coughing. Once she managed to catch her breath, she saw Prompto beside her, his hair matted flat to his head, his slender frame seemingly soaked to its core.

“You okay?” he managed to ask as he spit water from his mouth. She coughed again but gave him a thumbs up. “We’re not gonna do that again, okay?” He rose to stand and began to gather up the shirt that he’d given her and her phone. Seeing as she couldn’t put it in her back pocket like she normally would, he wrapped it up in the shirt and handed it to her. Before she took it however, she noticed that the band he normally had around his wrist was gone. His eyes widened as he realized the same. The barcode underneath was on full display and she knew that it was something that he didn’t want people knowing about. “Guess I can’t hide from it now huh?” he asked and she looked at him, confusion filling her features. “Promise you won’t tell anyone.” She looked at him with a look that screamed ‘have you seen me?’. He chuckled as he replied. “Right…” he began and he sighed. 

“I wasn’t born in the normal sense of the word. I was created. I was originally intended to serve as a test subject for the Niflheim empire in their magitek experiments. But that went crazy when a Lucian spy took me from the lab and put me with foster parents in Lucis. I grew up inside the walls of Insomnia, and it’s my home, it will always be my home. That’s why I want to find a way to bring it back to the way it was.” He explained. 

She was still for a moment before she finally placed a finger on his chest where his heart was and one on his head. She unwrapped her phone from the shirt and quickly sent him a message.

_Your home is where you want it to be. If you call Insomnia your home, then its your home. It’s where your heart it. Don’t let anyone tell you different. You’re a good person Prompto, and I don’t see you turning against any of us, not ever._

He lowered his own phone, but he bit his bottom lip. “You’re right. I’m not those monsters, right?” he asked finally looking at her form. She nodded. Prompto would never be those monsters that were created to destroy anything related to Lucis. Prompto was good. Prompto was her friend. She pointed back towards the house and shivered. “Oh yeah, let’s get back.”

They arrived back at the house, still dripping, but smiling. Monica refused their entry until they had at least dried off enough to not leave a wet trail through the house. Once dry enough for her, they were allowed entry and they quickly made their way to their respective rooms. It was only then that she realized that Ignis had been set up in her room. She heard the shower turn on behind the door and assumed that Prompto had beat her to it. She did a quick calculation of the people within the residence. Iris and Gladiolus roomed together, Prompto and Noctis had shared a room, that only left her, Ignis and Monica. Monica had resigned herself to the couch downstairs, claiming that she slept better on it, so of course her and Ignis would be in the same room. 

“You need anything?” she heard Prompto ask as he shook her from her thoughts. She made a motion of writing and he left, only to return moments later with a notepad. “You wanna write?” She pointed to Ignis. “For him to read when he wakes up?” She nodded. She looked at his lanky frame covered only in sweatpants and a loose fitting t-shirt and felt a 

flush rise on her cheeks. She quickly turned her attention to the notepad that he had brought her and began to write.

_Wednesday_  
_We found you yesterday. I don’t know if you remember it, but I’ll never forget it. I was so scared. General Ravus helped us find you. He’s a good person and willing to help us since he finally accepted that his sister died. He has Noctis’ sword and said something about safe keeping until he was ready. We didn’t feel the need to argue about it. I hope you get better Ignis. I hope you can read this when you wake up._

_Thursday_

_I forgot to tell you that I fell in the water. Prompto jumped in and got me out though. Don’t worry, we’re both okay. I just don’t want to do it again any time soon. Gladiolus has promised me that he would continue to train me with the staff. Oh yeah! I didn’t tell you that he made me an honorary member of the Crownsguard! I made an oath, just like you guys, to keep Noctis safe. I’m not afraid of Gladiolus anymore either. He isn’t the man that hurt me and I can tell that he’ll never be someone like that. I still don’t like being touched, but you guys are gentle, so I’m okay if it’s just you guys._

Friday was filled with nothing but training. She left before sunup to do a morning jog with Gladiolus before returning to the house to train away from the black waters of the ocean as it still brought her fear to be near it. They sparred, and she could tell through his movements that he wasn’t holding back. She managed to beat him, but just barely. He rose to stand, and he announced another round. She threw on her best battle-ready face and lunged at him. He struck out, but she planted the point of her staff into the ground and used the momentum to lift herself over him. Pulling it up with her as she soared, she tapped him lightly on the shoulder and landed on her rear behind him. He turned to her, a smile lighting up his features.

“Channeling your inner Iggy huh?” He threw up his staff in a defensive manner and narrowed his eyes, determined. “Iggy always lands on his feet.” He declared as he lunged toward her. She used his size against him and stepped back so that he ran right by her and she tapped him lightly on his rear. “Damn, you’re getting good.” He said, his voice filled with disbelief. “You sure you never had any training before?” he asked as he pulled out his phone. He wanted her to answer, she realized, so she pulled out her own and typed out a reply to him via text message.

_Only if you count going after my daddy with a frying pan and the occasional glorified game of baseball he would do using bricks as the ball and anything I could find as a bat._

“That’s harsh. Where is he now?” he asked without really thinking. He suddenly froze, as he realized what he had asked, but she was tapping away at her phone.

_I’m not scared to talk about it anymore. He was a bad man yeah, but I no longer let what he did to us define my actions today. Last I saw he was dead. I could have easily mistook his body though, but I’m pretty sure it was his. It looked like a Voretooth got to him._

“It seemed like he deserved it.” His phone quickly buzzed in his hand and he read her reply.

_Yeah, he did. From what momma told me, he wasn’t always like that. I guess he just lost himself when she got sick and when she died, he was too far gone to find himself. I’m not trying to justify his actions because he was completely in the wrong, but part of me can see how someone would sink that far down if they knew the person they loved wasn’t coming back._

The two of them sat in silence as he thought about what she had just shared with him. He didn’t ask her any more questions, nor did he make comment about the answers she’d already given him. Instead, he walked to her small frame and clasped her on the shoulder.

“Well, with us you can have a decent family.” And with a gentle squeeze, he returned to the house, leaving her alone in the blowing wind.

Family. She had a family. She returned to the house, her heart soaring, as Monica called for dinner.

With a full belly and a long shower behind her, she crawled underneath the blankets of the bed she called hers. She wrote the events of the day on the notepad, sat it back down, and pulled the blanket over her shoulders and looked upon Ignis’ slumbering form. It broke her to see him so still. Though he was always observing the group and never really moving, it felt unnatural to see him in his current state. She wanted to reach out and touch him, in hopes that it would rouse him, but she knew that nothing would do that, and he would wake up when his body felt ready. She’d been in this kind of slumber before, the kind that no matter how loud everyone else was being, or how violently someone shook, one would still be asleep until their body was as healed as it was going to be.

She finally closed her eyes as she sent out a prayer to the Astrals themselves to make him wake up soon. She had things she wanted to tell him, things she wanted to do with him. He couldn’t die, not after she had just been initiated into this ragtag group of friends. Not after she finally found her own friends.

**********

“Guys,” Prompto began as he fiddled with his fingers. Gladiolus and Morrigan stopped themselves from moving as the youthful blond spoke. “Iggy’s waking up.” And without a second thought, the two of them dropped their weapons where they were and ran back into the house, Prompto following closely behind them.

Sunday, a beautiful Sunday, Ignis finally opened his bright green eyes. She couldn’t help but let warm tears fall as she watched him stir and try to sit up. He reached for his glasses, but they had been broken and not recovered. Once he remembered this, he returned his hand to his lap and looked at the three of them. His features morphed into one of confusion as he noticed the emblem sewn onto her shirt, but no one wanted to speak just yet. They wanted to give him his space as he threw his long legs over the side of the bed, but he didn’t try to stand.

“Where is Noct?” His accented voice finally asked as he looked on the three of them.

“He went into the Crystal” Gladiolus managed to reply, his voice strained as he remembered the memory. Silence filled the room once more as Ignis absorbed the information and recalled what this turn of events would lead to.

“And how is everyone here?” he asked as he looked onto each of their forms individually.

“We’re fine. We’ve been doing what we can to get by. Monica took charge of making meals for all of us, but nothing beats an Iggy special. And someone here,” Prompto began as he motioned toward her. “Is now part of us.” He finished with a goofy grin plastered across his face. Ignis looked upon him, his features telling him that he was completely confused.

“She took an oath. She wants to stay with us, so I figured it wouldn’t hurt us to have her. I know I don’t have the power to make her an official member, so she’s just an honorary member of the Crownsguard for now. If she wishes to take that plunge later, she can. Personally, I think she can do it if she sets her mind to it.” Gladiolus explained, a proud smile curling his lips upward. Her face turned a bright crimson at his praise.

Ignis chuckled but was suddenly overcome with a coughing spell. Once he recovered, he held his ungloved hand out to her. She grasped it firmly, his surprise where everyone could see it. “I am glad you’re here with us.” He finally said with a smile crossing his lips.

“What do you need Igster? Water? Food? Anything?” Prompto began. “Because I’m sure between the three of us we could get you anything.”

“Prompto, I assure you that I am quite well. I do not require anything as of this moment. Though I do wish to have a moment alone with our new comrade.”

The words floated about the room as the other two men left, leaving her and Ignis alone. She fiddled with her fingers as she suddenly felt shy being alone with him. She thought it silly, seeing as she had been alone with him numerous times before now, but she couldn’t help the heat that crept its way to her face. She looked at him quizzically as he opened his mouth to speak but closed it just as quickly, as if he was having trouble finding the right words to say. Finally, his accented voice filled her ears like the best music she had ever heard.

“Morrigan, it appears that you’ve gotten stronger and for that, I am glad. You had no trepidation about my touch.” He spoke with a smile gracing his features and his eyes alight. “How long have I been out of sorts?” She held up five fingers in response. “Five days?” She nodded. “And you’ve trained all this time?” She chuckled lightly at his question but moved to grab the notepad that was sitting on the nightstand between their two beds. She pointed to it and handed it to him. He read the words as quickly as he could, his vision without his glasses making everything slightly blurry. His eyes fell to her form once more. “You fell in the water?” She nodded sheepishly in response. “I’m pleased that you are okay.” He said and went back to reading. He finally placed the notepad on the bed beside him and looked upon her once more. “May I tell you about the dream I had?” he asked suddenly. Curious, she nodded. 

“You and Noct were within the chamber that housed the Crystal, before it was torn asunder. No matter how much I tried to move toward you, my feet seemed to be stuck fast. I called your names, yelled them, but you never heard me. That was when I heard Ardyns’ voice in my ear, like a worm in an apple. He whispered that you never cared, that you wanted me gone. Part of me believed it, but as I pushed myself away from his voice, I watched as the two of you got ripped apart.” His eyes began to glisten with tears as he spoke; and when he spoke again, his voice was completely broken, like he began to question everything he’d ever known. “That’s not true, is it? You don’t want-“ Before he could finish his question, she had wrapped her arms around his neck in an awkward embrace. Her heart began to beat fast as she felt his arms slowly crept their way around her waist. She pulled away quickly as she realized that he probably didn’t intend for it to happen; but it was the only thing she could think of doing to calm his racing thoughts. She moved to take the notepad and she quickly scribbled a handful of words on the paper before handing it to him.

_We love you Ignis. I’m glad you’re okay._

And with a smile, one that brought light into his eyes, Ignis smiled. He noticed that she’d scribbled out a word before her sentence. Ignis Scientia noticed a lot of things, and things that were written, but hidden, were one of them.


	4. Fondness

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> First off, I'm so sorry about the wait for this chapter. A lot happened over the past 2 weeks that involved a lot of money and pain. If you couldn't tell from the random drabble I posted, I was in a car accident. The three of us are perfectly fine, just sore and paranoid about everything. I had a concussion, internal bruising and a fractured sternum (which I still have), as well as my passenger having the same except the concussion (I think, she didn't tell me). I know that the other driver is alive and well and healing, and honestly, that's all that matters to me. We're okay, we're alive. Do I have PTSD now? Yes. I can't hear loud noises without hearing the car crash. I can't be in silence without hearing the car crash. I can't sleep because I keep having nightmares about the car crash. It's insane man... Please be safe if you drive or anything. Just, please be safe.

She cowered away from her fathers menacing form. The anger and hatred seemed to radiate off his mangled body, the gashes littered his skin reeking of lifeblood and death. Before she could run, his hand grasped her bright fiery hair, pulling her back into the rocks and muck, her left cheek screaming in pain as her skin ripped open.

“You filthy, lying bitch.” His voice rose through the darkness as he rammed his knee into her back. She felt it snap like a twig as tears began to bud in her eyes. “You’re nothing but a disgrace.” He jabbed his knee further into her back as he spoke which finally caused her tears to spill over the lids of her scared green eyes. Suddenly, the vision of her father morphed into someone else. “Oh, dear me. Did I hit a soft spot for you?” the voice asked. 

She craned her neck to see who it was speaking, but he forced her face back down into the mud with a taunting sound. “Ah, we can’t have that, now can we?” His voice was almost hypnotic as she listened to it. Harsh, but still somehow remaining soft.

“Morrigan!” a voice yelled. She realized quickly that footsteps surrounded her in the mud as Prompto appeared in her field of vision. She plead with him, her eyes begging him to end her suffering.

“Now, we can’t have that either.” The melodious voice rang out. Purple flashes surrounded her as she watched Prompto fall to the ground, the mud splashing as his body made contact. Her eyes went wide through her pain and she forced herself upwards, the action throwing her assailant off guard as she managed to rise to shaky feet.

“You…” her own accented voice began hoarsely. “Will never harm them.” She managed to spit. As surprised as she was to hear her own voice, she was more surprised to see the look of shock painted across her assailants’ features.

“And here I thought you were just a mute.” His voice rang out. “I guess even I sometimes get surprised.” He spoke as he balled his raised had into a fist and a purple miasma surrounded it. “I do grow weary of this game.” He threw his arm out, sending the purple mist with it towards her feeble frame. All she could do was raise her hands in defense.  
Her body shot upward so suddenly it made her head spin and her roommate shifted in his own bed just as quickly.

“Are you alright?” Ignis’ voice called out through the darkness like a beacon of hope. He reached to turn on the lamp on the table between them, but she shook her head, a gesture that he knew well. She didn’t want him to see how weak she was. “If there is anything I can do, please let me know. I only wish to be of help.” He said as he laid back down but did not close his eyes to return to his slumber.

She shifted herself beneath her duvet once more, only to find herself completely afraid of the darkness. Pushing back her fears, she rose from her bed and walked the three steps to his. He saw her form in the darkness, her fingers wringing together as she fought back her own daemons. A small smile crossed his lips as he scooted over to give her room upon his own sleeping bed. He felt her lay beside him, facing her own bed, afraid to look at him. He felt as she wrapped her arms around her frame and he fought every urge he had to wrap his own around her. He knew that this woman needed comfort, but Ignis Scientia wasn’t the type to touch without permission. He felt as she turned over, finally facing him, and she placed a small hand upon his arm that was between his head and the pillow. He didn’t know how to reply to her gesture which only seemed to further his own frustrations. He turned over to face her, his own green eyes mirroring her own as the conveyed confusion but also a dire need of wanting to help.

“What is it you wish me to do?” he whispered faintly, his own confusion resounding in his tone. He watched as she slowly pointed to him and back at her chest. His gaze remained on her, his mind still filled with hazy confusion. She pointed to him once more, barely touching the fabric of his shirt at his chest and back to her own and bounced her hand up and down where her heart was. “Heartbeat?” he asked. She nodded. “My heartbeat? You wish to hear my heartbeat?” She nodded sheepishly, but he situated himself so that she could place her head lightly on his chest. He kept arm of the side she was lying on above the pillow as she gently rested her head on his chest. “You wish to see if this is real?” he ventured and she nodded.

She would never gain the courage to tell him that the sound of his own heart beating beneath his skin was the one thing that managed to lull her back to sleep. He, on the other hand, would also never tell her that the scent of her shampoo, some floral mixed with citrus, had become his new favorite smell. 

**********

She awoke the next morning, the sun low in the sky, to see that Ignis had left. A flush crept onto her cheeks as she thought about the boldness she had the night before. She wanted to remember that it was real, that her friends were real, and that’s how she thought about it. Quickly shaking her head of the memory, she rose from the bed and began her day.

Training with Gladiolus so early was not the thing she wanted to do at that time, but she knew that she needed to be stronger. Her desire to protect the four people closest to her drove her to do what she needed to do. So, as she flipped through the air with her staff, the skill that she had managed to successfully land once, in order to dodge the much bigger mans blows was something that she viewed as a priority.

“You’ve just gotta relax and let the motions take you.” Gladiolus had told her after what felt like the hundredth time of falling on her rear. “The minute you don’t think about what you’re doing, you’ll do it.” At his words of advice, she nodded and painted her face determined. 

He lunged for her, his staff positioned at his side as if to take a jab, but she quickly raised her own and parried it downward into the dirt. Before she could blink, he had spun his body to strike low at her once more, but she jumped into the air making his staff go completely under her. He continued his spin, his staff now aiming for her stomach. Knowing that his angle of attack was too high up to jump over, she quickly bent herself backwards into a flip and landed not so gracefully on her feet out of harms way. Then he ran for her and she saw her opening. Running back at him with as much fervor that he had, she planted her staff in the ground at the base of his toes and vaulted herself into the air. Gladiolus stopped briefly to watch the spectacle as she landed on shaky feet a few feet behind him. She beamed a smile toward him; she landed it, and she was proud. If Gladiolus was one to actually go easy on someone, he would stop there and call it a day, but that wasn’t Gladiolus. Thankfully, a chipper Prompto came around the corner of the house and announced that lunch was ready, and the three of them made their way back inside in mostly silence.

The house smelled amazing as the three of them entered. She could tell without even seeing anything that Ignis and Monica had been laboring over the meal for hours, and it smelled like dinner was still cooking on the stove. Maybe some type of stew, she hoped as she planted herself in an empty chair at the table. Garula burgers and homemade potato fries was just what she wanted once she saw how beautifully Ignis had arranged the plates. It was a simple gesture, but to her it made her feel like she was eating at a five-star restaurant. She realized rather quickly that this man did nothing simple and his every action was carefully thought about minutes, if not hours, before the action was to occur.  
She inwardly admired his, well, everything. Everything that man did she admired. She looked up to him, as a friend and confidant. Unlike Prompto, he wasn’t a hyper little ray of sunshine. He was quick witted and tactful but remained calm under serious pressure. Unlike Gladiolus, he wasn’t beefy strong, but he was strong where it mattered, in his mind. He thought about everything, about results of things that she hadn’t even considered.

She watched as he began eating his own meal, his ungloved hands working their way around the bun as he placed a slice of cheese on his burger and lifted it carefully to his own lips. 

“What’s with the days? Wasn’t it just daytime?” Prompto chirped in, taking her from her musings.

“It does appear that the days are getting shorter.” Ignis replied as he placed his burger down to take a sip of water. Her eyes couldn’t help but travel to his adams apple as it bobbed up and down as he swallowed. She mentally kicked herself. She felt like a creep; watching him so closely.

“That means more daemons.” Gladiolus spoke through the half chewed burger still in his mouth. She watched as Ignis shot him a look which made the much bigger man seem to appear so small. He mumbled an apology only after he had swallowed his bite.

The meal was done in a matter of minutes, for she didn’t realize how famished she had actually become. Once her plate was empty, she rinsed it off at the sink and placed it on the counter and made her way back up to the room she shared with the tactician. Once inside, she collapsed onto her own bed, her muscles aching and screaming as they finally began to relax and rested her arm against her forehead. Many thoughts raced through her mind. What if the world did end up becoming one that was filled with a never-ending darkness? She didn’t want to see that, she couldn’t see herself going through that. If she was completely honest with herself or anyone else, she was completely afraid of that. The darkness took her from her family. The darkness killed her sister. A light knock sounded from the door, taking her from her own dark thoughts.

“I’m sorry to interrupt, but it appears my phone is dying.” Ignis’ accented voice sounded muffled behind the door. She clapped her hands twice to let he know that it was okay for him to enter. He opened the door, but his features morphed into something akin to concern and worry. “Are you alright?” he asked as he moved to plug up his phone and set it upon the nightstand between the beds. She sat up and pulled out her notepad from her back pocket as he sat down beside her.

_I’m scared of the dark._

“A lot of people are. It is a common fear. I suggest…” as he began to speak, his eyes went wide as he remembered exactly why she would be afraid of the dark. “I do apologize. I wasn’t thinking.” He finished as he placed his left hand on the space of the bed between them.

She grasped it lightly, as if it would transform into something that could hurt her and turned it so that his palm was outward toward her. He watched as confusion filled him as he lightly tapped his palm three times and dropped his hand as quickly as she’d taken it. She scribbled into her notebook quickly and held it out to him before he could question her action.

_Don’t apologize. I’m thankful you’re here. 3 taps. I’m thank ful._

He chuckled as he read her scribbles. It did make sense to him however. “That being said, I’m thankful you’re here as well.” Her features seemed to be set ablaze as he spoke kindly about her. Whether he knew it or not, the words he’d said would stay with her forever.

**********

The next morning came entirely too early for Morrigan’s liking. She’d been waking up at six every morning, even on the mornings that Gladiolus had given her off from training, just for the simple fact that she liked to watch Ignis cook breakfast for everyone. By the time she made her way downstairs, he was already busying himself with various ingredients for their upcoming meal. She watched carefully as he grated potatoes for homemade hashbrowns while also preparing a sauce for what looked like eggs benedict. Her suspicions were confirmed when she watched him pull out a few English bagels from the cabinet. She’d never had the dish, but through her times of traveling from outpost to outpost, she’d heard many people talking about it.

“Oh, I did not hear you come downstairs. Would you like some coffee?” Ignis asked her once he turned and saw her sitting at the table nearby. She’d never had coffee before but that didn’t stop her from nodding slowly. “Cream or sugar?” he then offered and she shrugged. He poured her a cup and placed it before her.

She placed the warm beverage to her lips, the steam rising from the mug filling her nose with the smell of roasted beans, and blew carefully. She took a small sip and quickly spit it back out into the cup. Ignis chuckled as she placed the mug back down on the tabletop and push it slightly away from her.

“Would you like me to make it the way my uncle liked it?” he suggested. She pondered his words for a moment but finally nodded and watched as he began to put in three cubes of sugar and a bit of cream. “Try it now. It will not be as bitter.” He began to explain as he stirred the now caramel colored liquid. She took another apprehensive sip and let the flavor dance over her taste buds. She decided that she liked it and with a nod toward the regal gentleman in front of her, she took a larger sip. 

Ignis returned to the stovetop as he began to poach the last remaining eggs they had and fry the hashbrowns. He began to mix together a bit of butter and egg yolks he had set aside with water and lemon juice for the sauce and once he was done mixing, he brought her a small sample on a spoon. 

“Humor me for a moment, if you will.” He said as he handed her the small spoon. After she’d gotten over just how small the spoon was, she plopped the whole thing in her mouth and she felt her taste buds come alive. It was just perfect as the butter mixed with the lemon juice, neither flavor overpowering the other. It reminded her of a dish that her mother made when she was still alive. Even though she couldn’t say anything to him, she noticed that he placed a pleased smile on his features, his lips curling upwards slightly but not as big of a smile that Prompto would reply with.

He was content with her company as he finished the breakfast and also seemed pleased with the help of setting the table once it was complete. She made motion to help plate the food, but he neglected the help and plated it himself.

“Permit me to say that you are quite the best company I’ve had this early in the morning.” He spoke with a smile coloring his tone. “Would you mind waking Prompto while I give a shout to Gladio?” he asked. She nodded and bounced her way up the stairs.

Knocking lightly on the gunmans door, nothing but silence greeted her. She knocked again and finally heard a bit of rustling behind the door. The next thing she saw was a very sleepy Prompto open the door just barely a crack. At his appearance, she couldn’t help but jump back. While Prompto always seemed upbeat and outgoing, his version of him appeared to be a shell. It wasn’t him. She felt her brows knit in concern, but he waved away her worries; told her that he was fine and that he just didn’t sleep well. In all honesty, it didn’t look like he’d slept at all to her. Before she would pull out her notepad to write a message to him, he stopped her by placing his hand lightly on her arm.

“I’m okay. Really. I just need…” A pause filled the air as he seemed to think of the right words to say; but he sighed instead. “You’re so easy to talk to sometimes.” He spoke with a muted chuckle, one that sounded as hollow as he looked. “I’ll tell you about it later, okay? I’ll be down in just a sec.” And with that and a nod, he shut the door. She heard rustling once more as she assumed he was getting dressed. She turned her back to the door to return to the kitchen downstairs.

**********

Once everyone had eaten their fill, and Gladiolus had grabbed his seconds like always, she helped Ignis gather up the dishes and began to wash them one by one. The two of them stood side by side, him washing and her drying, until everything was once again, neat and tidy. As she was sweeping up the crumbs from the floor that Ignis had wiped from the table and counters, Prompto approached her.

“Hey,” he began as he fumbled with his hands. “Can I talk to you when you get the chance?” She nodded toward the man, seeing just how unsure he was, and finished sweeping up the spot she was working on. With a glance toward Ignis, who stated that he would finish the rest, she followed Prompto out the door.

The two of them walked in silence as they slowly made their way to the top of the lighthouse. Even once they finally got to the top, the gunman simply rested his arms on the railings and looked out at the ocean. Morrigan however, thought about what it would be like if she could fly and take her new friends away to a new land with her. She could see the horrible thoughts Prompto had racing through his head, because she had them too. He finally turned to her, his eyes filled with an emotion that she knew all too well. He was hurting. A lot.

“I don’t know…” he began as he started to fumble with his hands once more. She realized that he messed with his hands like this when he was thinking too much about things. She put her right hand on his crumpled ones as a sign of comfort, but quickly removed it as a small smile started to brighten his features. A low chuckle escaped his lips as he started to speak once more. “I always feel like the odd man out, y’know? Unlike Gladio I’m not strong and I can’t talk to people. The way he connects with them, he’s operating on different level. Unlike Ignis, I’m not smart and I can’t cook to save myself. But when we all hang out, it’s so much fun…” his voice trailed as he sighed. “I forget what I’m not. Then, reality hits me like a splash of cold water and I remember that I don’t belong… But I want to…”

She pulled out her notepad before he’d even finished speaking and began write down word upon word, most of it barely legible since she’d written it so quickly.

_You are the best person to be around. I forget that I’m upset when I’m with you. I forget how lonely I am when I’m with you. And I’m willing to bet that Ignis or Gladiolus, or Noctis, wherever he is, really appreciate you being around. Because I do. You were the first person to not want to hurt me. You were the first person to show me any kindness. If it weren’t for you, I wouldn’t be on this crazy journey with you guys. I wouldn’t have got stronger. You guys mean the world to me and don’t you dare let anyone, or anything, tell you differently. You’re amazing Prompto. You really are. You have a huge heart._

As he read her words, his hands trembling all the while, she saw tears begin to pool at the corners of his baby blue eyes, and something inside her snapped. The barrier that she had around her heart and mind came crashing down as she stood before the man who appeared more like a kid. He was a lot like her. He just wanted to be accepted for who he was, despite his place in the world, despite where he came from. Before she knew it, as Prompto held firm to her notepad, she had walked to him to stand before him, and wrapped her arms around his neck, and unbeknownst to her, she didn’t realize that she didn’t feel afraid of the skin contact. She didn’t want to cower away from him. She didn’t want to pull away. Instead, she wanted to let him rest his head on her shoulder as he was and let him forget his pain, if only for a moment.

The two of them finally stepped apart only when he was ready as he seemed content with her gesture. He wiped his eyes and nose quickly, only to give her a big toothy smile afterwards.

“Thanks Mor. You’re pretty cool yourself.” He spoke through his smile.

**********

Over the next week, the days got shorter and the nights got longer. She would watch the sun rise late into the day only to watch it set just a few hours later, which worried her greatly. Her training however, went on through the dark times. She felt safe with Gladiolus nearby despite how she first viewed him. Seeing the much bigger man angry, which she had seen only once before Prompto quickly escorted her from the scene, still terrified her. It was also during this time that Ignis left for Tenebrae to begin deliberations with General Ravus about Prince Noctis’ return. The times when Ignis wasn’t around, she found herself spending more time with Prompto, who would show her album upon album of pictures that he’d had of the four of them.

There was one picture in particular that struck her fancy. The town of Lestallum stood behind the tactician and a lovely golden chocobo. Ignis however, paid no mind to the fact that Prompto had snapped a picture of him lovingly petting the golden bird, as he had a smile placed on his features and was gently scratching it’s neck right underneath it’s beak. The large bird seemed to be smiling as it was petted. Her heart began to hammer in her chest as she looked at it and she couldn’t help but imagine what it would have been like if she were actually there to witness it in person. She felt something that she hadn’t felt before, but she couldn’t name it.

Spending time with the knowledgeable man brought her peace of mind, calmed her anxieties. When he wasn’t around and knowing that he wasn’t there to run to when she just wanted to see his smile, pained her. She knew that she was fond of the man, but what exactly was she feeling? As if Prompto could read her emotions, he began to speak, taking her from her thoughts.

“No way.” He said lowly as he placed a hand over his mouth to hide his own grin. She looked at his quizzically. “You like Iggy.” She felt a bright blush creep onto her freckled cheeks as he declared what she was feeling. Despite the hue of crimson painting her cheeks, she shook her head and put her hands to her face to hide her feelings. “You can’t lie to me.” He said sitting back with his arms crossed over his chest. “I totally get it. He’s smart, good looking and can totally cook a meal worth killing for. You,” He leaned up to tap her nose playfully. “Are in love.” A fit of laughter erupted from his throat as he finished speaking, only making her blush all the more.

She handed the photo album back to him and excused herself after he’d finished laughing at her and made her way to the room that she shared with the regal man. She noticed that he’d made up both of their beds, something that he did before he began each day, but now it seemed different. She realized that he had traded out her heavy duvet for a much lighter blanket. She always woke up in the morning with the heavy duvet at her feet since she’d kicked it off herself in the night seeing as she always got too hot. She also noticed a small envelope placed perfectly on her pillow with her name written in an intricate script. Curious, she picked it up gingerly and popped open the flap to reveal a handwritten letter.

_Morrigan,_

_As I will be away for the next coming days, would you mind preparing the meals for the group. I’m afraid that they will not get the nourishment that they need in order to complete their days. I do not wish for them to eat continuously at the Crow’s Nest. I will return next Tuesday as deliberations may take a while. If I can return sooner than expected, I will send you a message._

_Also, Prompto shared with me what the two of you spoke about on the lighthouse. I wish to inform you that your words are correct and Gladio and myself do appreciate him and are happy to have him around. But as gleeful as we are to have him around, we are happy to have you joining us as well. You’ve so much to offer us and I’m afraid that you fail to see your own worth. Do not let your past define your future. You’re a bright person and my only wish is that you’ll see what you can offer us. Do not hesitate to message me if you wish to ease your troubled mind._

_So, until I return, my dear, please keep everyone safe._

_Ignis Scientia_

As she read his words, tears began to stream down her cheeks. She had gone her whole life wishing on every shooting star she saw that someone would say those exact words to her. She had spent the last five years blaming herself for every horrible thing that happened to her and her sister. She blamed herself for her mothers’ demise since she didn’t see the signs of her illness in time. She blamed herself for her sisters death since she couldn’t find the strength in her to just lift her up and run with her. She blamed herself for that man taking advantage of her. She blamed herself for damn near everything. Her family, her new found friends, everything. But Ignis didn’t blame her for anything. Ignis didn’t blame her for him getting hurt. Ignis didn’t blame her for Altissia. Ignis didn’t blame her. With a swell of hope bubbling up in her chest, she wiped her tears away with the back of her hand, placed the note upon the nightstand and grabbed her phone. Opening her messages and tapping Ignis’ name, she slowly tapped out a small message to him.

_Thank you Ignis. I will take care of the guys. Please let me know when you can come home._

She hit send before she could second guess herself and placed the phone back on the nightstand and began to gather up clothes for a shower. She sat on the shower floor with her knees drawn up to her chin as she felt the heat of the water cascade down her naked form. She couldn’t, and wouldn’t, let her mind stop from wandering back to the letter that Ignis had written for her, nor to the words Prompto had confessed to her at the top of the lighthouse. These people liked her, and it seemed odd, but she felt like she belonged with them. She felt that the Astrals themselves kept her alive just so that she could meet these people, because They felt that she would have an impact of their lives in only a way that they needed. She was a pupil to Gladiolus; something he had talked about as they trained through the days was the fact that he wanted to take on the role of mentor again once they all returned to Insomnia. She was helping him live that fantasy that she could tell he wanted. Prompto was someone that she could relate to. He had spent his whole life trying to be someone he knew he wasn’t. He had accepted that he was royalty and he accepted that he was completely different from the rest of the guys, but he wanted to be with them anyway. They were his friends. He only hoped that things would stay the way they were, and they would, she knew that. It hurt her to see him so unsure of himself the way he was.

Her mind shifted into overdrive as she felt the need to express to them just how grateful she was to each and every one of them. But how? She knew that Gladiolus liked training, and she had no idea how to show her thanks to him for that. Ignis liked cooking, and even though she had spent many mornings with the man, she was still a novice at the skill, but good enough to prepare meals for them. Prompto liked chocobos and taking pictures. She had no idea as to how she would do anything to show her thanks. She finally decided as she rinsed away the shampoo from her hair that she would do the only thing she knew how. She would write them all a letter, including one for Noctis to read once he finally returned.

It took her three days to finally write out the letter she had planned to Prompto. She wanted to remind him of who he was and the fact that she liked him just for that. She didn’t want him to change, because he was just perfect the way he was. Finally, as she slid the note under the crack in his door late into the night, she felt part of the weight be lifted from her chest. Only three people to go.

By the following Thursday, she had finished the letter for Gladiolus. She wanted to tell him just how thankful she was for all the training that he’d done with her, and to apologize for how she was toward him at the beginning. She realized as she trained with him that her assumption of the giant was completely uncalled for and it made her seem like such an unlikable person. She was thankful that Gladiolus took the time out of his day, his life really, to train her like he was, and with all the tricks that he’d taught her. She finally handed him her finished letter after their training the next day, right before they entered the run-down house and quickly ran back up to her room before she could see him read it.  
Ignis on the other hand, was completely impossible. How was she going to tell the man just how thankful she was for him without actually telling _everything_? The floor was littered with crumpled paper after paper as she tore from her notepad until she realized that she only had just a few small pages left. She put the pad down in aggravation and pulled the blanket over her head to collect her thoughts. It wasn’t until she was right on the edge of sleep did she find the right words to say without actually having to stop over and over. Even though she had a hard time with finding the right words, she still felt comfortable with it once it was finally complete as the sun rose slowly over the horizon. She realized with a small laugh to herself that his letter was the longest of the three of them. Only once she had folded it as perfectly as she could manage and placed it lightly on his pillow did she finally allow herself to sleep, only to be awoken after an hour by Prompto storming into the room.

“Morrigan, I’m so sorry, but I had to pee, and I read your note again, and I just wanted to say thanks. You’re cool too and I’m glad you’re here. Thank you. Thank you. THANK YOU!” he expressed as his words seemed to melt into one giant spill. Before she knew it, he had wrapped his arms around her underneath her arms and picked up her small form into a huge embrace. He put her down quickly, realizing that he may have crossed a boundary. “Sorry. You just got me all happy.” He said sheepishly. She laughed at him, unsure of why he was apologizing. She didn’t feel at all uncomfortable with him anymore. She didn’t feel uncomfortable with any of them anymore. She knew that none of them would harm her; and she would be damned if she let her past continue to haunt her.

In reply to his show of affection, she placed a toothy grin on her features and threw her arms back around him, pulling him into an embrace that was equal to his. His body seemed to tremble as her arms touched his bare shoulders and it was only then that she realized he wasn’t wearing a shirt. She stepped away from him quickly, a blush quickly forming on her cheeks. A shy but breathless laugh came from the young gunman before her as he turned away from her and returned to his own room. She crawled back under her own blanket and threw it over her head, but not before she checked her phone for a reply from Ignis. Seeing his name plastered across her screen made her heart leap in her chest and she quickly opened the message.

_I apologize for the delay in my reply, dear, but I am glad to hear that you’ll be taking on my role during my absence. Just remember to try and feed them some vegetables as well. I know how the three of you enjoy your meaty proteins, but greens are just as healthy. In any case, it appears that I may return home earlier than expected and I should be arriving back around noon tomorrow, weather permitting. I will see you then Ms. Morrigan. Until then, please remember to keep your head up._

She took a glance at the time that the message was sent to see that he had sent it about eleven the night before, and tomorrow, or today, was Sunday, which meant he was coming back a whole two days early. As she mulled over her own thoughts, she couldn’t help but not go back to sleep and start her own cup of Ebony and begin her day at an early 6:45. Realizing that she hadn’t exactly kept up her end of the bargain that Ignis had asked of her, she quickly threw something together for breakfast. That something consisted of scrambled eggs, toast and hashbrowns, that were harder to make than she anticipated seeing as Ignis made it look so easy.

With a light knock on Prompto’s door, she opened it slightly to mime eating at him and pointed downstairs. As he threw on a shirt quickly and rushed down hall to wake Gladiolus, who had surprisingly slept in late for him, the two of them quickly made their way back downstairs, Prompto stifling a yawn and Gladiolus scratching the back of his head. The two of them sat at the table and ate in mostly silence as she waited for their feedback. She knew that she would never reach the level that Ignis was at, but she hoped that they enjoyed the food at least. Finally, Gladiolus put down his fork and cleared his throat.

“If I have to say anything negative about it, it’s that you didn’t use enough seasoning. But, I did enjoy it and would like seconds if you have more.” A grin found itself on her features as she nodded and pointed to the stove. It was only then that she got her own food and began to eat. 

**********

The day seemed to drag as she did what she could to keep herself busy. After the guys had finished eating and she’d cleaned the dishes that they used, she cleaned the counters and table, mopped at least three times, after kicking Prompto out too many times to actually count and found herself outside watching Gladiolus train. He had known what tasks Ignis had asked of her, so he suggested she sit out and do them, but she couldn’t, and refused, to sit still. So, with staff in hand, she approached the burly man and began her training.

“Since you’re so adamant on it, we’ll focus on dodging. You like doing flips, so we can work on that. Try to do nothing but the flips.” Gladiolus said as he spun his staff around his body absentmindedly. She knew exactly what he was doing. He would spin the staff as he spoke, trying to distract her, only to lunge at her suddenly to try and throw her off guard. But it didn’t work. Instead, she threw her body back into a backflip and landed loudly on her rear.

A laugh came from Gladiolus as he watched her fall, but he moved to help her up either way. With a few suggestions, like using her staff for leverage, he lunged at her once more and she quickly turned her body to make cartwheel. She landed not so gracefully on her knees, but she couldn’t help the grin that she beamed up at the bigger man.  
As the training went on, she had figured out how to maneuver her body in a way that it was easier to land on her feet, and although her landings were shaky at best, she did manage to land them, and she felt confident in her ability to do them. Before she knew it, Prompto had joined the fray, sending his own staff that he’d summoned at her in ways that weren’t dangerous, but enough danger to know to move. Gladiolus on the other hand, held nothing back as he took his lunges seriously. He had a mentality about it that scared her. Even though he didn’t view her as an enemy, he still came at her as if she were one and he wasn’t afraid to let strikes land where they landed, but she knew that he wasn’t putting full force behind the blows. Prompto was too afraid to actually hit her, but he still managed to help. He would purposely aim for her, only to move to miss her at the last second. Then came the one time that he did actually hit her.

The two of them lunged at her, Gladiolus from the front and Prompto from the back, and the only way out was from the side. She registered that Gladiolus would strike first, so she flipped to the side to try and get away from it, only to move right into Prompto’s staff as he moved to try and not hit her. It threw her off and she landed hand on her back, like she had been tripped. She lay there, the wind knocked out of her, staring at the great expanse of the sky as the sun set slowly over the horizon. If she were in an old cartoon, birds or stars would probably be floating over her head.

“I am so sorry!” Prompto’s voice rang out over her daze. She moved to sit up, but she felt hands on her back as she was lifted to a sitting position. She shook her head to dispel the fog that had situated itself in her brain and looked back at Prompto, who was slightly behind her. “I tried not to, I really did. Are you okay?” the blond asked as he seemed to look her over for injuries. She nodded once she finally got her breath back. As he continued to fret over her, she placed a hand on his shoulder to calm him and raised her other hand with her index finger touching her thumb to let him know that she was okay and that she didn’t blame him for it.

Seemingly content with his assessment, Prompto held out a hand to help her stand. Rising to shaking feet, her head finally cleared, and she was able to see the world once more. As she looked at the roadway, she could see that daemons had begun to spawn, but just as they had appeared, a bright light surrounded the area, sending the monsters scrambling away, as a magitek engine roared overhead. She’d seen the engines before, but why was one so close now? She watched as it landed on the other side of the lighthouse, where she used to train with Gladiolus before she fell into the water that night. The three of them looked at one another before they all broke into a sprint to see just what in the world was going on.

Gladiolus and Prompto ran ahead as she lingered at the base of the black rocks. She knew they were slick and she refused to be submerged like that once more. She watched as a figure emerged from the engine and before she knew it, the massive ship was once again back in the air and gone before she knew it.

“Iggy!” she heard Prompto yell. She pulled her phone from her back pocket to see that the time read 12:05 exactly. As she saw the two figures blend together, she saw the undeniable evidence of Ignis’s hair and glasses, and her heart would stop doing flips in her chest. Most of her wanted to run to him, but the fear of the water held her back. Instead, she swallowed that ball of fear she had and took the tentative steps toward the group.

“It does appear that I’m late in my return.” Ignis’s accented voice spoke through the wind that had started up around them as the engine took flight. She waved her hand at him, a smile tugging at her lips. 

“So, what did Ravus say?” Prompto asked as he fixed his windswept hair.

“I’ll be happy to inform you over a cup of tea.” Ignis replied.

With his words lingering in the air, the four of them walked in silence back to the house.

**********

“The sword is in Ravus’ care until Noctis can return. His only wish is that Noct rise to his calling, which I believe he will do so once he returns. He will be sending reports about events happening in Tenebrae as I will be sending them in return about Lucis. My only fear is that we will not be ready when the time comes. Ardyn, of course, will be watching our every move, but we cannot let him advance the scourge.” Ignis explained as she prepped the tea of his choosing.

He went on to explain that Ravus had his own concerns. About how a wayward prince like Noctis could find the path that he was supposed to find and stay on it. About how everyone else would handle the added stress of Noctis rising to the throne like he was supposed to. Mostly how Noctis was supposed to do what he was supposed to do and how exactly he was going to do it. Ignis explained that he was confident in the young prince, and if she sat down and thought about it, she was too. She knew that Noctis knew what he had to do. She knew and believed that Noctis knew that he would do what he was called do to with gusto. She believed in him no matter the amount of time that she’d known him before he went to sleep inside the crystal.

She listened intently as the three of them spoke about their fears and concerns regarding Noctis. Gladiolus was the most outspoken about the ordeal she’d ever heard him being, but he also expressed his own confidence in him. Prompto did nothing but praise his best friend, but still had his own concerns, mainly being how Noctis’s bouts of laziness could possibly hinder him from being the King he could be, but he was confident in him to rise to the task that would be ahead of him. 

She pulled out her notepad with the very little paper she had remaining and scribbled a few words down hastily and put it on the table.

_I believe he can do it. I haven’t been here long, but I have faith in him. Sure, he’s lazy and reckless, but I know he can. He has a legacy to uphold and his father to live up to. I don’t see him backing down from that._

“You are quite right Morrigan. I have faith in him. My only wish is to see him sit upon that throne where he belongs.” Ignis replied to her scribbled words. “Now, if you do excuse me, I’m going to go freshen up before dinner.” He turned to face her. “Morrigan, if you wouldn’t mind walking with me, I would like to have a word with you.”

Surprise found itself home on her features, but she followed him up the stairs into their shared quarters. Once inside, he shut the door lightly and spoke lowly.

“I wanted to thank you.” She cocked her head to the side in confusion. He chuckled as she glanced at him. “You’ve been a great asset to our retinue and you’ve come a long way. Gladio has informed me of your training endeavors and I would like to give you this.” He opened his jacket to pull out a small package from one of the inside pockets. She took it gingerly, her eyes never leaving his ardent ones. “I noticed that you wrote a lot in your last notepad, so I assumed you wouldn’t mind a new one. Seeing the state of wear of your current one, it appears that it’s a good thing that I got you a new one.”

She opened the paper carefully, as if the package would explode at any given moment, as she placed herself on her bed. Finally unwrapping the last layer of paper, her eyes fell upon a midnight blue cover. It was plain in design, but as she looked closer, she noticed a group of flowers embossed on the cover.

“They are sylleblossoms, the official flower of Tenebrae. Ravus took me to the flower garden that they had on the grounds and as I stood there looking at them, I couldn’t help but be reminded of you.” She glanced at Ignis as confusion filled her once more. “They are beautiful. They seem to shine through the darkness, much like yourself.” He placed his gloved hand upon her arm so lightly that if she didn’t know that he was actually touching her, she would have thought she was imagining it. “You have done nothing but shine through your own darkness and you’ve become your own light. You’ve shown me exactly what I needed to see in the world, a light in this dark world, and…” Ignis seemed to be mulling over his words as he couldn’t find the right words. Before he could speak again, she placed her hand lightly on his but gave a firm and gentle squeeze. 

She sat her new notebook to her side and took his gloved hand in hers, raised his palm to her and tapped it three times, but she didn’t let go. Instead, she gently ran her fingers over his knuckles and a warm smile crept onto his lips. He took her hand in his, palm up, and tapped four times and she looked at him quizzically.

“I am thankful for you.”

With those words lingering in the air, he moved to gather things for his shower and left her to her own devices.


	5. Fear

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I struggled, not going to even lie at this point. Everything came easy and then it was like 'nah, you're good here', but I was only like 2k words in. Also, hidden FFVII reference in here. Let me know if you can find it!

The next morning came and went as she spent most of the day outside with Gladiolus. Her new notepad didn’t fit into her back pocket like the one she had before, so she opted in for carrying it in a satchel that held a few other things she wanted to have on her person. Much like how Ignis would carry a satchel around his waist, she had found one in the basement of the house and fashioned it to fit her. Once she had gotten used to the weight of the added leather, she was back to her normal routine of practicing her flips with the burly man.

That was until she fell, hard. The spectacle itself was something to behold as she thrusted her staff at the edge of Gladiolus’s toes and used the momentum to hoist herself into the air. She tried to thrust her body back upright, but it was like something was holding onto her legs, making her stay upside down. It didn’t help that since the sun had been setting earlier and earlier and the fact that the daemons would spawn closer to the house they all shared, and the fact that she saw not one, but two Iron Giants out of the corner of her eye, spawning and rising from their hellish gate of black miasma. Everything seemed to go in slow motion as she watched the two beasts lifted themselves from the depths, and then everything was black.

Her mind swirled with memories of her past. Her father, raising a brick to her sister and her running to take the blow herself before it landed upon the small child. Her mother planting the myriad of flowers in their backyard only to have her father run out and trample them after she passed away. That man, holding the cold metal of the barrel of the gun to her head as he forced her to ‘help’ him. Prompto, holding his palms out to her, showing her that he meant no harm. Gladiolus’s giant arms crossed over his equally giant torso. Noctis scratching the back of his head in embarrassment over something that Prompto had said. Finally, Ignis, who had nothing but kindness in him as he slowly offered her the Chickatrice leg. Her name slowly falling from his lips after he’d learned it, as if he were committing it to memory. 

The boys, her friends, stood before her in a sea of blue and white, and they slowly vanished, one by one until only Ignis remained. She reached out her trembling hand toward the graceful man and tried her best to move her feet, only to find that they were rooted to the ground.

“Now I see exactly what it is you desire.” A voice rang out somewhere around her. Fear gripped her heart as she felt it stop. Her chest began to burn, like she had been holding her breath for too long, as she watched Ignis’s form slowly vanish into the blue expanse of nothing. “Let’s see how you’ll be against this.”

Her friends reappeared, their broken and battered bodies hanging limply from hooks dangling from chains that led to nowhere. A malice filled chuckle pounded in her ears, and she did her best to cover them as she fell to her knees. But her hands weren’t good enough to cover the sound of the voice once it spoke again.

“You know you mean nothing to them, right? You’re nothing but a burden to them; someone they have to look after, as if you were a child that they didn’t want.” She heard herself gasp as a sob tore through her clenched jaw. “You’ll never mean anything to them. You,” A figure appeared before her, forcing her to open her eyes as the voice no longer seemed to only sound in her mind. She glanced upward, her mind reeling from the disease the oozed from his sickeningly kind features. “Are,” Now he squatted to see her, his eyes level with hers. “Nothing.” He finished as he grabbed a handful of her fiery red hair and tossed her body as if it were a toy. Another chuckle rang through her mind as she tried to rise, only to be pushed back down by a boot on her chest. She moved her arms as quick as she could to grasp weakly at the ankle of the foreboding man standing over her. In response to her movements, he put more weight onto her chest, letting loose an audible and sickening crack. She tried to breathe, but the pain that coursed through her body was unbearable and she wasn’t even able to get a small gasp through.

“Morrigan Donahue hmm…” the man above her spoke as if he were amused. He seemed to examine his fingers as he spoke, not really paying his hand or her any mind as his words tumbled from his lips. “Is that your name?” He leaned into her, putting more weight on her chest as he moved to lower himself over her. “Well, Morrigan my dear, you’ll just have to let me hear that beautiful scream of yours before I let you go.”

Her nails dug into the fabric of his pants, barely making a dent in the skin hidden beneath. She moved her head slowly to see the hanging forms of her friends and the sight seemed to fill her with the determination she needed to fight back. She threw her leg up the best she could, and with his stance over her, her shin connected with his shoulder causing him to tumble over. Before he could make motion to rise, she had risen to her own shaking and trembling feet, her body hunched and folded over on itself as pain flared through her chest as she grabbed at the fabric that covered it.

“You,” her accented voice rang out over the deafening silence. “Will never have the pleasure of hearing me beg and scream.” She rose to face him fully, the pain almost unbearable, her breath coming out in short rasps. “You will never hurt them. You,” Something inside her bubbled and burst as she saw her staff in her mind and in a flash of blue, it was in her calloused hands. She stabbed the point into the ground, the logo of the Royal Family facing the man for him to see. “Would have to kill me before I let you get to them.” And she put her body into a fighting stance, hands half a foot apart in the middle of her staff as it rested against her lowest right rib, shining point facing the man before her as he had finished standing tall.

She watched the man squarely face her as a red glow surrounded him. She knew what he was doing, he was going to warp, she’d seen Noctis do it many times. As his form vanished into a small red orb and began to whiz toward her, she ran toward it and right before it made contact with her, she planted the tip of her spear into the ground and jumped up over it, landing on firm feet behind him as he appeared back in a normal form.

“Ah, so you’ve got a few tricks up your sleeve…” his voice trailed in false amusement as he kept a hand behind his back. He seemed to shimmer as he vanished entirely. She looked around her, confused and scared, until a sharp stinging pain came from her lower back. Her eyes went wide with fear as she realized exactly what it was. Her father had pulled a knife on her many times, each time he was more and more drunk, until he finally resorted into throwing them at her, most never making contact, but a few leaving scrapes and scars on her otherwise pale skin. “However, I do too.” His voice sounded in her right ear, the pain in her back growing as he ground and dug the blade she never saw into her skin. With a sickening throw of his arm, the small blade, about the size of a pocket knife, cut through her skin and muscle, tearing ligaments and tendons as her crimson blood showered across the ground. 

She heard rather than felt him kick her down, her face smashing against the blue expanse as he began to thrash once, twice, three times at her form. She wasn’t able to move, she didn’t feel it, her body simply jerked with each motion of his swift kicks to her back and finally one to her side to roll her over to face him. Her bright green eyes were now dull and indistinct as he pressed onto her chest once more and leaned down to get closer to her face. She saw his mouth move to form words, but she heard no sound, no click of his tongue, no taps of his teeth. All she heard was the deafening silence as he doted on and on about something she was sure she wouldn’t understand if he could even hear him. She felt the tickle of blood as it slowly seeped down her face from her nose and mouth, and tasted the iron contained, but she couldn’t move.

Her mind swirled once more as she saw Ignis run towards her broken and beaten form, his arms outstretched, his eyebrows knit together with concern; and finally, she welcomed the darkness that overtook her.

**********

“Is she gonna be okay?” Prompto asked as he tangled his fingers together. Ignis was no doctor, but he’d read many a book about the subject and even he couldn’t place exactly what was wrong with their friend. Gladiolus had beaten himself up over the ordeal, blamed himself that he should have been more wary of her state and taken it a bit easier on her.

“This is my-“

“Gladio, no one is at fault here. Accidents happen. She’s alive but without a doctor, I’m afraid that is all I can surmise.” Ignis interjected as he pulled her blanket over her to cover her exposed chest. He had made sure that the other two had turned away before lightly tearing her shirt just enough to see if there was any bruising on her chest since she had landed in a way that left her torso exposed to harm. He’d checked her pulse by two of his fingers lightly placed on her wrist only to discover that it was, in fact, weak. Worry coursed through his veins as he looked over her frail frame; he hated to see her this way. She had done everything she could to be strong, for her mother, for her sister and now for herself, but here she was, hurt and possibly afraid of whatever daemons were causing her features to morph into pure terror.

“Prompto, if you would bring me the bag in the corner; she needs an elixir.” Ignis explained as he remained by her side. The blond moved quickly to bring him the solid black bag from the other end of the room and placed it by his legs. He rummaged through the bag one handed until he felt the shape he needed, and he pulled out a vial of red liquid. Knowing that the liquid would work faster, if not better, if it were ingested, he twisted off the cap and carefully placed a hand beneath her head to lit it ever so slightly to help the sticky liquid travel downward. 

Within moments, the broken woman before him began coughing and sputtering as the liquid streamed down her throat. Her body jolted upright as she grasped at her chest and gasped for air. She felt his light touch against her back as he rubbed ever so gently to calm her. Once it was over, she looked at him, her eyes wide and afraid. Before either of them could blink, she had her arms wrapped around his neck, afraid to let go and afraid to not see him anymore. He felt her warm tears build up and fall as she dug her head into his shoulder. He felt her body shudder and crumble as she gripped the back of his jacket so hard that her hands shook. He couldn’t help but wrap his arms back around her and nuzzle against her hair as he took in her scent of citrus and sweat. They two of them didn’t even notice that Gladiolus and Prompto had left the room to leave them alone for their moment, their own worries finally dissolved once they saw her awaken.

“Are you alright?” He asked into her hair, fully aware that she wouldn’t be able to answer as he body continued to shake from her sobs. He rubbed her hair in attempt to calm her down but realized rather quickly that the act was futile. Instead, he resorted to just holding her tightly against his lithe frame, rubbing her back all the while.

When she finally pulled away, her face was red and splotchy from her outburst and he took care to wipe away every single tear stain that had traveled down her freckled cheeks. He finally handed her a tissue from his jacket pocket and she blew her nose lightly and threw it in the nearby trashcan.

“Do you want to talk about it?” his voice asked lightly, and she shook her head without looking at him. Normally, he wasn’t one to pry, but he just had to know what had upset her so much that she latched onto him like she did. He placed one hand lightly on her cheek, her eyes going wide at the sense of touch but not entirely cowering away from it either and ran his thumb lightly over her cheekbone. “Morrigan, please?” His voice was soft, almost a whisper. She leaned into his hand slightly as she pulled her notepad from her satchel. Opening to a blank page, she wrote slowly.

_What am I to you guys? ___

__“You’re our friend Morrigan. Why do you suddenly ask?” Ignis replied after he’d read her words and handed her back her papers._ _

___I’m not nothing? I’ve always been nothing; I’ll always be nothing._ _ _

__“No dear, you’re something. You’re Morrigan, and…” He seemed to stumble over his reply as his voice trailed to articulate the right words; only to sigh lightly as he took her hands in his and grasped them lightly. “Please Morrigan, please do not be afraid to talk to me, about anything. I… We’re always going to care for you.”_ _

__She finally let out a breath that she didn’t know she had been holding and began to write out exactly what she had seen in her dreams. The man with the burgundy hair, his voice soft yet menacing; the disease dripping from his features like water down a window pane when it’s raining, and her pain, every single ounce of scalding pain that coursed through her as he took his blade through her. Her mother, her sister, them, all turning their backs to her as she watched, unable to even move._ _

__He read through her scribbles, his eyes showing nothing as they scanned over the papers. Finally, setting the notepad back down, he looked upon her features to see that tears had begun to form at the corners of her eyes once more, and he did the only thing he could think of. He pulled her close, so close that their bodies could easily merge into one being if it were possible. He listened silently as she began to weep, her voice hoarse and cracked as sobs rolled over her chapped lips. He couldn’t help but allow the lump in his own throat escape as a light cry and the tears to bud in his own eyes. Though they didn’t fall, he still felt every ounce of pain she did. He, like her, was perpetually afraid of being alone, though he hid the fear well. Seeing her like she was, broken, scared, hurt, made his heart break in two. He felt her arms wrap slowly around him, her grip tight once more to the back of his jacket._ _

__“Morrigan…” he whispered so lightly that she wasn’t even sure he had said anything at all. He finally put down his own defenses, his own walls, and allowed her inside. “I am never going to leave you. That is more than just a promise.” And he pulled away slightly to place a small kiss upon her forehead at her hairline only to return once more to his embrace. “I will always stand by you.”_ _

__He wasn’t even sure she’d heard him speak as her sobs were louder than his voice. He hoped she’d heard, he wanted her to hear. Ignis Scientia didn’t just make promises like that without intending to keep them. But she heard him._ _

__**********_ _

__Morrigan stayed inside their shared room until late the next morning, and even then, with the sun high into the sky at its unusually early hour, she did very little. She still felt that man standing over her, watching everything she did with keen eyes. The boys, apart from Ignis, who wasn’t afraid to approach her, mainly texted her if they needed to know anything or if they wanted to just let her know what they were there if she decided she was up for talking. At one point, Ignis had brought her a bowl of the stew that he had made for dinner only to return later to find it barely eaten and cold. She had her blanket pulled up over her head when he gathered her frozen meal, a sign that told him she wasn’t up for idle chit chat. He placed his hand lightly where he thought her arm would be and gave it a gentle squeeze to let her know that he was there if she needed him._ _

__From underneath the blanket, she heard him rustle around the dresser drawers for a few moments, only to shut them back just as quickly as he’d opened them. She felt the side of the bed depress as he sat at her waist but remained silent as he mulled over his thoughts. She finally lowered the blanket ever so slightly but just enough for him to see her eyes. Her hair was a complete disaster, tangles and knots made the home at her ends, her bangs sprawling out in every direction. He placed a tentative hand upon her hair only for her to pull away from him slightly, her eyes wide and afraid. He didn’t take her action to heart as he knew what it was like to be afraid. Instead, he moved his hand back to his lap and opened his mouth to speak._ _

__“May I suggest a hot shower? It could make you feel better.” His brows were knit with concern as he spoke, but she couldn’t find it in herself to see his worries as genuine. No matter where she looked, she saw the man from her dreams, smiling and taunting her, as the disease ran rivers down his face. “I’ve gathered you some clothes if you wish to do so. If you like, I can draw you a warm bath.”_ _

__She shook her head violently, her vision blurring once she stopped. She closed her eyes so tightly that she saw white spots and she drew her knees closer to her body. She wanted to be as small as possible; she didn’t want the man to see her anymore. She didn’t want anyone to see her anymore. As she moved her knees closer to her chest, her notepad fell from underneath the blanket, the page she had been writing on in full view for the world to see. Ignis couldn’t help but reach down and pick it up, only for his eyes to glance over her words._ _

___I’m not good enough. I’ll never been good enough. That’s what my daddy had always told me. And now I finally believe it. I’m not anything to anyone and I never will be. These people consider me a friend, but I’m afraid… That I’ll never really be their friend. I’m afraid. I’m so scared of everything._ _ _

__A lot was scratched out, as she appeared to change her mind about what she had written. He skimmed passed the markings until he got to the very end and read the words that would always haunt him._ _

___Maybe it would be better, for everyone, if I were dead._ _ _

__He calmly closed the book and placed it beside him but away from her. He felt his hands shake as he placed them back in his lap and he laced his fingers together to try and still them. He evened out his breathing only to find himself biting his cheek as words, phrases he knew he couldn’t say, wouldn’t say, filled his head. He rose to stand, grabbed her uneaten meal, and made way to the door, only to stop right before he reached his hand for the knob._ _

__“I, for one, would be severely upset if you were dead, my dear.” His voice was flat; no emotion was placed in his words, but he was scared, so scared that she truly believed what she’d written. “I hold you in great esteem.” His voice finally came out softer after he’d taken a deep breath to clean his mind. “I care for you greatly. Do not assume that no one cares because…” He sat the bowl down on the nearby dresser and finally turned to face her, his eyes betraying everything that he had hidden inside. “Because my life has been better with you in it. Because I care. I truly care, and I could not live with myself if something happened to you.” And just like that, his outburst was over, and he was back to the calm and composed Ignis she always knew. “I do promise that if you have a nice hot shower, you’ll feel better.” Then he was gone, out of the room and she was facing the closed door once more. She didn’t even realize that she had sat up during his petulance until the blanket fell slowly from her shoulders after he had already disappeared._ _

__After what felt like hours of just staring at the door, hoping upon hope that he would return, she rose to gather the clothes that he had put at the edge of her bed. She unfolded the shirt, a simple grey t-shirt, and realized that it was one of his, its length going to her mid-thigh and she realized that the sweats were probably a pair of his as well seeing as she normally slept in a pair of sleep shorts. She wasn’t upset about his wardrobe choice for her. In fact, she welcomed the lingering scent of the Ebony he would continuously drink that never fully washed out in the laundry. She welcomed the fact that the clothes hung off of her as if she were a flagpole. She embraced the fact that he had given her something of his to wear, as a symbol of trust and admiration; and the fact that once she was finally clean and she’d pulled her head and arms through their respective holes that it felt like he was always with her. With a small smile gracing her features, she exited the bathroom to find him already changed into his own pajamas as he laid underneath his own blanket silently reading a book. Upon seeing her out of the corner of his eye, he lowered the novel and faced her, his eyes filled with shame._ _

__“I do apologize for my outburst earlier. I failed to think with total clarity.” He spoke with his voice low as he sat up completely. She moved to grab the notepad from the table between the beds and scribbled a few words._ _

___It’s okay. I’m glad you said what you did because it made me realize something._ _ _

__“Oh? And what would that be?” he inquired after he’d read her words and handed the paper back to her._ _

___That even though I came to you guys completely alone, I’m not alone. With you, I’m happy. With you, I’m loved. With you, I’m home._ _ _

__A smile tugged at the corners of his lips as he realized exactly what she was saying. To an average person, it would appear that she was including everyone; Prompto, Gladiolus, Noctis and himself, but to him, he knew that her words were for him alone._ _

__“Do remember that we will stand with you always and help you bear your burdens. Do not be afraid to let us share the load.” He spoke calmly, evenly, but his voice rang with sincerity and a kindness that she wasn’t used to. He gestured for her to sit on the floor at the side of his bed and just out of pure curiosity, she did. She watched from the corner of her eye as he grabbed a brush from the table and slowly began to run it through her wet hair. With every tangle he found, he ever so gently lifted it to the light and gingerly ran the brush through until it was gone only to return to the rest of her hair. She felt as he ran his fingers lightly though her hair and examined the ends with a keen eye. “Would you like me to trim the ends?” he asked as she felt him drop the section he had been holding. She gave a small nod and watched as he opened the drawer on the table and pulled out a pair of scissors. “Like last time?” he asked and after she nodded once more, she heard him gently snip at her hair and felt it fall down her back onto the floor._ _

__Minutes passed in silence, save the growling of the daemons lurking outside. Before she knew it, he was finished and gently brushing the hair from her back as she moved to pick up the strands that had fallen on the floor, her uncut bangs falling into her eyes as she struggled to move them. With a light chuckle, he told her to sit still and close her eyes. She felt him pull her bangs up above her head and make a few snips before telling her that it was okay for her to open her eyes once more. When she did, he didn’t move to hide the smile that graced his features. He didn’t do anything to hide the meaning behind his gaze. A blush crept its way onto her cheeks as she moved to throw away the cut hair and crawl into her own bed._ _

__“It does appear that we should be moving to the outpost soon. I fear the daemons will overrun us if we remain here.” Ignis said as he looked out the window from his bed. As if to solidify his statement, a large growl and crash sounded from beyond the walls of the house, making her jump slightly from under her own blanket. She looked at him, her eyes wide, filled with every fear he had ever seen her hold. “Do not worry. I do not plan on leaving you behind nor no I plan on letting you face your fears alone.” As his words lingered in the air, she felt at peace, like she wasn’t even afraid of anything anymore._ _

__She put her head back down upon her pillow and closed her eyes to attempt sleep, but a soft melodious hum filled the silence surrounding them. She realized rather quickly that he had begun humming a tune that she knew all too well. The sound was calming, peaceful as she listened intently to his tune and let it melt her worries away. She felt her eyelids grow heavy as she began to struggle to keep listening and she didn’t even know that she had fallen asleep until she awoke the next morning, the sun barely hanging in the sky overhead._ _

__**********_ _

__The four of them packed up what little belongings they had and loaded them into the car that Ignis had procured from Cindy earlier that morning. Knowing that the roads would be littered with every daemon imaginable, they packed up as many healing items that they could carry. She listened to the two of the three boys as they bickered back and forth about seating arrangements until Ignis finally stepped in and solved it for them. Watching Ignis break up their argument made her think of her mother and how she would always step in between her and her sister when they had a screaming match. The posh man did always seem like a mother hen type to her, and seeing it happen with her own eyes just solidified her notion._ _

__Finally, after a bit more bickering and a lot more packing than any other them thought, they were finally on their way to Lestallum. Iris and Talcott had left a while ago to help set up the town the way that it needed to be in order to keep the refugees safe, along with various doctors and more EXNERIS girls than they thought they would ever need. Seeing as they were who they were, Holly, the ever busy brunette that seemed to run the entire EXNERIS plant in town single handedly, set them up with an apartment for each of them; the thought alone making Morrigan shudder as she knew that she would be alone. As if Ignis had sensed this approaching, he spoke to the woman in private until the two of them returned. Holly looked her over for a moment before stating that she didn’t feel comfortable with a woman like her being alone and asked for a volunteer to be her roommate. She saw Prompto begin to raise his hand, but Holly stopped him with a laugh._ _

__“Seeing as I’m the one giving you the apartments, I get the make the decision.” She stated with a smile still sitting on her lips. “Ignis has explained to me exactly what’s going on with her and as much I don’t doubt your ability Prompto, I have to give this one to Ignis. She’s roomed with him before and she’s used to him.”_ _

__She pulled out her notepad quickly and began to scribble down words as fast as her hands would allow her. Once finished, she thrusted it out to the woman before her._ _

___It’s okay. If Prompto wants to do it, then it’s fine. It’ll give me a chance to know him better. And if Ignis isn’t against the idea, I would be okay with it._ _ _

__She watched as Holly handed the papers to Ignis, who read them with eyes that showed nothing._ _

__“Well, if you are sure.” He turned to Prompto and pulled him aside and they disappeared behind a crowd of people making their way to their own homes and the nearby hotel.  
The two of them were gone for what felt like hours while Gladiolus made a phone call to Iris and Holly tried to make some small talk with her only to realize rather quickly that her using the notepad wasn’t all for show. Morrigan tried her best to answer her questions with quick nods and shakes of her head, but it became apparent that Holly wasn’t going to get anything out of her other than a yes or no answer. Prompto finally appeared in front of a line of refugees looking a bit sheepish while Ignis’s features held no sign of what the two of them talked about._ _

__“I’ll make sure you’re safe Morrigan. Don’t you worry about a thing.” Prompto exclaimed as he finally began to show a toothy smile. She looked between the two men, her mind completely confused as Ignis kept his gaze neutral and Prompto seemed shaken by what they had talked about._ _

__“If you would excuse me, the Marshall has requested my company during his training today. I’ll return later to cook dinner.” Ignis explained and with a collective nod from the rest of them, he vanished behind a mass of people._ _

__The group weaved in and out of people as Holly lead the way to their new homes; an old run down apartment building right in the middle of town came into view. Despite the fact that she knew she wouldn’t get much sleep because of how busy the town sounded around her, she was thankful for the noise that she would eventually welcome while the world was supposed to be sleeping. She was also thankful for the fact that Prompto had carried her one bag because it gave her more of an opportunity to take in the surroundings of her new home. The carpet of the living room was old and stained, but still soft and plush. The kitchen had seen better days, but it was still completely usable as opposed to the kitchen that she knew from her home so long ago. The two bedrooms that were only separated by the bathroom were completely bare except a dresser against the far wall and a single window in the middle of the room. Holly seemed to apologize for the fact that she couldn’t manage to get one that had two bathrooms, but Prompto waved off her concern._ _

__“It’s fine Holly. Thanks. This means a lot to us.” He had said as he put his things on the nearby couch and handed her the bag that held all her things. “I’ll let you choose the room you want and I’ll just take the other one. I’m gonna check out the kitchen. Hey! Do you think Ignis would come over and cook for us or do you think we’d have to go to him?” He asked knowing full well that she wasn’t going to give him an answer._ _

__She turned to the wall that led to the three rooms and pondered for a moment before finally walking into the room on the right and setting her bag down on the bed. She knew already without feeling the blanket that it would be entirely too hot for her and she would need to somehow get a new one. As if on cue, a knock sounded from the door and she heard Prompto open it._ _

__“Hey, I think this was put in my bags instead of one of yours.” She heard the gruff voice of Gladiolus from the other end of the apartment. She quickly stepped out of the bedroom that she had chosen and saw that the bigger man was holding the blanket from her bed at Cape Caem, the one that Ignis had picked out for her. She couldn’t help the fact that her heart seemed to swell as she thought about all their kindness towards her._ _

__“I think it’s Morrigan’s.” Prompto replied and as he saw her approach the two of them, he asked her. “Is this yours?” She nodded with a smile planted on her features and she got closer to Gladiolus so that he could hand her the blanket._ _

__With a nod of thanks, she wrapped the blanket around herself and made her way back into her room, leaving the two men in the living room to question her sanity and wonder just what was going through her head. Her new blanket in hand, she threw the other blanket off of the bed and put hers on and everything started to feel right to her. The only difference was that Ignis wasn’t her roommate, but Prompto wasn’t a bad person to be around. He kept her laughing and it was like every day with him was a new adventure. He reminded her of the giant sunflowers that she had seen growing in a field once, always bright and sunny no matter how bad the day looked. That’s when she also decided that Prompto was made of sunshine and clouds, because that’s what he reminded her of._ _

__As she lay in bed that night after everyone had left for the evening to their own apartments, thoughts filtered through her mind. She thought about how she came to be with these people; that it was just a mere happenstance and she just happened to be in the right place at the right time for them to stumble upon her hiding place from the daemons. She thought about how she started her journey with them, only telling herself that she would go with them to Altissia and then be done with it. But then everything in Altissia happened and she was completely lost and afraid. She found herself caring greatly for the people that surrounded her. Fear gripped her heart as she thought about how it would be if she weren’t with them now, and how more lost she would actually be. The sun only remained in the sky for about two hours and the nights seemed to go on forever, making the daemons spawn sooner and sooner, more Goblins, more Bombs, and many more Iron Giants. She thought about how she was even survive on her own back then, and she knew full well that she wouldn’t last without help. She grasped her phone tightly as she planned out words to say to them before finally typing them out._ _

___Thanks guys. You really are the best. Though my time with you has been short, you’ve accepted me as I am, a girl that was lost and scared. You trained me to make me stronger, you’ve made me part of the team, and for that I will always be thankful._ _ _

__Within minutes, Prompto had replied, followed by Gladiolus and then Ignis._ _

___We’re all afraid of what’s going on but we have each other and we’ll always be friends, so I’m not scared._ Read the reply from Prompto._ _

___You’re welcome Morrigan. Just because we aren’t underneath the same roof doesn’t mean I’m going easy on you. I’m signing you up for Glaive training with the Marshall as soon as possible._ Gladiolus replied back and she could just hear the amusement in his voice as she read his words across the screen._ _

___You’re not that girl anymore Morrigan. You’ve grown into yourself and you’ve turned your past into something of beauty, something that I truly admire. I am happy that I can still see your smile. I am happy that you are still with me even though the world is torn asunder. However, I do worry about you as well, though I will never stop worrying about you. You’ve given me a reason to be happy again, and I just hope that you realize the extent of what you’ve done for me._ Ignis’s text said and she couldn’t help but feel her heart beat faster in her chest. What exactly was this feeling she felt deep inside her chest? She couldn’t help but reply back to him._ _

___What do you mean that I’ve given you a reason to be happy? Didn’t you always have a reason?_ _ _

__She waited on pins and needles for him to reply and when he finally did, the buzzing from her phone startled her so badly that she accidentally dropped it. She picked it up quickly and read his reply._ _

___Well, I suppose so yes. I was never sad about anything per-say, however, I always felt like there could have been more to my life besides taking care of Noct. My whole life has been just that, taking care of Noct. Now, with you, I feel as if I have a greater purpose. Noct is fully capable of taking care of himself and although everyone else has become a wonderful friend, I always wanted something more. Seeing as I am not one to dive into my own fancies, it was refreshing to see someone else take care of them for a change. I feel as if you’ve taken on a share of my own burdens, and for that I do apologize. I do hope I have not imposed anything upon you that you did not want. Though I am thankful for everything that you’ve done for us and what you’ll continue to do. You have the power to do great things, my dear. I just hope you see how wonderful you truly are._ _ _

__His words left a deep crimson hue on her cheeks, but before she could reply to him, he had already sent something else._ _

___I have to do a bit of shopping in the morning while the sun is still around. Would you mind accompanying me?_ _ _

__She mulled over her thoughts for a moment before she finally answered him._ _

___I don’t mind. Just tell me a time._ _ _

__He replied back with the early time of seven in the morning, just in time to see the sun rise over the rooftops of the town, also early enough to where the market would just be opening and there wouldn’t be a crowd of people to make her uncomfortable. With her heart feeling lighter than ever, she rested her head against the pillow and closed her eyes._ _

__**********_ _

__The next morning came sooner than she realized since she had more trouble sleeping recently, and the fact that the night was the first night in a new place made things hard on her as well. As she finally managed to stumble out of her room, a feat that she was proud of as she rubbed sleep from her eyes and made her way to the kitchen to get a glass of water to wet her parched throat, Prompto suddenly ran into her, knocking her off balance. As she steadied herself, now wide awake from the shock that went through her, she realized that he was, in fact, still sleeping. He was hunched over himself, like his back was holding the weight of the world, his baby blue eyes still closed with no sign of them opening any time soon and his feet shuffled across the floor like they were too heavy for him to lift to make a proper step. Not knowing exactly what to do, she stopped his advances further into the apartment and put an arm around his shoulders lightly to guide him back to his own bed. Once he was securely tucked back underneath his own blanket, she made her way into the kitchen to get the glass of water she wanted to desperately._ _

__Just as she was filling up the glass with the golden nectar, a light knock rasped at the door. Putting the glass down on the faux marble countertop, she walked slowly to the door, suddenly afraid of who would be knocking this early. It wasn’t until she looked through the small peephole and saw Ignis standing there, waiting patiently for her to open the door with what looked like two cups in his hands, did she remember that they didn’t talk about a spot to meet up. She opened the door with a smile and gently took the paper cup that he held out to her with his own smile._ _

__“I made it just the way you liked it before. I hope that was alright.” He explained taking a small sip of his own drink that she knew was completely black and bitter. She realized that he was dressed more for comfort, a style that she hadn’t seen him wear often enough, as opposed to his usual business attire. He still wore his usual shoes, but his legs were covered by a pair of dark washed jeans and his torso was blanketed with an emerald green button down that seemed to make his own ardent eyes pop. She felt a blush creep itself on her cheeks and she did her best to hide it as she turned to sit her coffee on the nearby table to go change out of her pajamas._ _

__She returned after a bit in her own purple tank top and dark washed jeans and her usual shoes. She noticed that Ignis seemed to let his gaze linger upon her frame longer than usual, but she didn’t do anything to stop him. Inwardly, she liked it when he looked at her the way that he was, with his eyes so full of something that she didn’t exactly know, something that wasn’t scary or lustful, but she would never relay that to him. As she grasped her coffee in one hand, Ignis held out his elbow to her, a sign that told her that he was trying to link arms with her, and she returned the gesture with a grin on her features; and then they were walking down the steps into the lobby with their arms linked at the elbow and a warm smile upon both their features._ _

__The shopping trip itself was mainly uneventful, but she enjoyed watching Ignis look over various foodstuffs with much vigor and a keen eye. If she didn’t know him like she did, she would just think that he was a man that knew what he was looking for, but she knew that he was doing that and more. She could almost see the cogs in his mind spin as he planned a new recipe just by seeing the meats and vegetables strewn out before him. As he looked over the stalls, seemingly stopping at every single one until he was satisfied with something and finally bought it, she glanced around and noticed a small flower stand in the corner, almost invisible as it was so neatly tucked away. She pulled at Ignis’s sleeve and slowly pointed toward the wooden stand and he turned his attention to where she had pointed._ _

__“Would you like to go look?” he asked, his words making music in her ears as he knew exactly what she wanted to do. A smile tugged at the corner of his lips as he let out a light chuckle. “Then let us go look.”_ _

__Her eyes went wide as a giant toothy smile crossed her features as she took him by his gloved hand and led him to the stall. She looked upon row after row of various flowers in every color she could imagine. She couldn’t help but reach out her hand to stroke the delicate petals of the flowers that she knew and loved so much. Many of them she had seen planted in her mothers garden while the others she didn’t know anything about. One in particular caught her attention as it stood out among the rest. It was simple by itself, the width about the size of her palm and the petals a soft purple, but she couldn’t help but reach out and gently pick it up to take in it’s fragrance. It was sweet, but still tasteful in it’s scent and it reminded her of her mother who often smelled like earth after a day of planting. The scent reminded her of a time before everything; before her mother got sick, before the fall of Insomnia, a city that she didn’t know well but still loved due to that one trip she had with her mother there, and a time before she was left alone in the world._ _

__“What does it smell like, my dear?” She heard Ignis ask from her right. She looked at him as tears began to bud in her eyes, but she was still smiling. With a soft smile gracing his own features, he moved to wipe away the stray tear that had fallen down her cheek. “It reminds you of your mother, doesn’t it?” It wasn’t really a question, more of a statement that he was sure on but wanted to make sure he was right in his thinking. She nodded as she raised the flower once more to her nose to take in the memories that came with the scent. “Sir,” Ignis spoke, shaking her from her thoughts. “How much for this one?” He gestured toward the flower she had in her hand. She tried to stop him, she really did, by grabbing his arm lightly and shaking her head. She felt horrible about the fact that he was so willing to spend any amount of Gil on her and she would spend forever trying to make it up to him._ _

__“Those go for about 3 Gil sir.” The shopkeeper, a frail looking old man with a raspy voice, replied._ _

__She watched as Ignis fished inside his pocket for a handful of change. Seeing the fancy coins herself, she realized that she had never actually seen the currency as her mother always stashed it away rather quickly so that her father wouldn’t find it and spend it all before it could be spent on more wiser purchases. He handed the old man a quarter sized piece of Gil and thanked the man with a gentle smile. She held the flower close to her chest as the two of them walked between the growing crowd._ _

__By the time the two of them returned back to the apartments, the sun was already long gone, and the chill of the night had already begun to sink deep within her skin. Sensing her state, Ignis invited her back to his apartment for some warmth and company, something that she didn’t mind doing with the elaborate man at her right. So, with a nod and a smile to him, the two of them made their way to his apartment._ _

__She realized as soon as she stepped through the threshold that he had done a lot of rearranging the day before, but nothing seemed completely out of the ordinary as she made way for the couch that he had pressed against the far wall on the left next to the bookshelf in the corner. She watched from her seat as he walked around the room to tidy up the already clean room. She couldn’t tell what was going through his mind, but he seemed perturbed to say the least. She finally got tired of watching him straighten out a pillow that wasn’t going to get any straighter and rose to stand. As he heard her rise, he put the pillow down and sighed lightly, a sound so low that she was almost unsure if she’d really heard it or not._ _

__“My apologies. I am not being a gracious host.” She shook her head lightly, unsure of what was racing through his mind to make his question himself so much. He finally turned to look upon her fame, his spectacled eyes downcast and unsure. She pulled out her phone from her back pocket since she had left her satchel in her own bedroom and sent him a quick text._ _

___What has you so rattled?_ _ _

__He was silent long after she knew he was finished reading her words as if he were trying and failing to find his own words to articulate. She placed her hand gingerly on his sleeved arm, taking him from his thoughts._ _

__“Do you recall…” his words trailed as they tumbled from his soft lips. He moved to put his large hand over her much smaller one and give it a gentle squeeze before lowering it once more to his side. “Morrigan, may I be frank with you?” He asked finally raising his eyes to look into hers. She swallowed the saliva that had pooled in her mouth and nodded, suddenly feeling fear grip her heart once more. This was the part when he told her that she was no longer allowed to be with them. This was the part that always broke her. This was the part where she would be cast aside once more like trash on the roadside._ _

__“I’ve come to care for you greatly. You are beautiful, elegant, poised; someone that I could only wish to be. You are strong, kind and radiant. I fail to even find words that I could compare you with.” He took her hands in his but kept his gaze on hers; her own gaze filled with surprise and confusion. “I do not want to be in a world without you in it. This world means nothing to me if you are not by my side. I…” Silence filled the space between them rapidly as the seconds ticked by. She knew what he wanted to say, what he felt like he needed to say, and even though she didn’t feel at all good enough to stand beside the man before her in any other way other than a friend, she put a smile on her features and gently wrapped her arms around his ribs. After a pregnant pause, she felt him do the same and place a small kiss upon her hair as he let every tension and tight muscle he had held loose._ _

__No, she was good enough. She was good enough for anyone that wanted to be with her and treat her the way that she deserved to be treated. Ignis would treat her well, she knew full well that he would. Was she afraid of what the time after this held? Yes. Every fiber of her being told her to run away and never return. But Ignis was right. The world wouldn’t be the same without her in it, because his world was her, and hers him. Once she finally pushed down the bile from every fear she had that built up in her throat, she couldn’t help but place her head on his chest to listen to his heartbeat once more. Unlike before, she knew this was real and she didn’t need reminding. She knew that his heart beat for her, just like her heart beat for him._ _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm a sap for happy endings, but their story is far from over :)  
> And hey, look, I finally gave her a last name. Ignis knew it all along, but out of respect for her, he never shared his information that he knew about her with the others.


	6. Warmth

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> We're getting to endgame here, but I promise that it's not going to end there! I've got many more plans for this fic as time goes on. I just need to have time to sort out all my thoughts as I plan. It may be a bit between uploads for a time while I sort out everything and have a plan of action. Please bear with me. This is not the end of Morrigan and Ignis's story.

The caravan flipped once, twice, three times in the air as the daemons spawned beneath it. She felt her body rattle against the door and then everything went black. When her ardent eyes opened, the battle before her did nothing but cause panic to course through her veins as she saw the other three members of the supply run fighting for their own lives. The caravan was ruined, the supplies were ruined, even the meteorshards were ruined. Prompto, who had accompanied them in another vehicle, ran to her fallen form and did his best to help her stand and wipe away any lifeblood that had snaked its way down her features.

“Lestallum is right over that hill. Do you wanna make a run for it?” she heard him asked over the static of her comrades fighting on the road. Fear gripped her as she shook her head violently, sending waving of nausea and dizziness through her. She clenched her jaw in attempt to fight it back, but that only made her head pound more. She felt him place an arm around her shoulders, to help guide her toward the lighted town, but the noise that sounded behind them made her feet glue to the ground.

Inhuman moaning reverberated around them as a black miasma pooled on the road, it’s inky darkness dancing in the unfelt breeze as a giant hand connected to an even bigger arm appeared through the portal. She watched in complete terror as the Iron Giant hoisted itself from the depths and began its own rampage against the other three Glaives.  
She watched the three of the battle against the horde of Hobgoblins as well as the giant that had appeared. She saw the giant raise its mighty sword above its head and images of her sister flashed into her mind. Her sister, so kind and forgiving, holding flowers, her blue dress soaked and tattered as the rain fell down in torrents behind her. Her sister, who had a smile that could light up the darkness, flashing her toothy grin at her as she told a silly joke that had her sides in stitches. Her sister, who was frozen in fear of the giant monstrosity before her. Her sister, becoming one with the muck as the great sword mashed her small frame into the ground.

Morrigan ran to push the Glaive away from the attack, leaving Prompto to follow close behind her; but even he, who was normally quick on his feet, didn’t have time to save her from the shockwave that threw her and the Glaive against the guardrail on the other side of the road. He watched as the two of them stood on shaky feet and raised their own weapons, Morrigan seemingly ripping hers off her back and standing herself in position. He knew what this battle meant to her, so he raised his own Lion Heart and took aim at the daemons body and fired.

She saw an opening as she heard the gun fire. The left side of the giant was left free as it turned to face the new challenger. She watched as it staggered toward Prompto, each bullet making it recoil in the slightest. She aimed for its massive calf and thrusted with enough force to stick the point deep inside its grey flesh with a sickening sound. She pulled it out as it began to turn toward her, but she quickly lashed out at it once more, leaving a gash in its leg. It grunted and raised its sword to her in retaliation but before it could bring it back down, it faltered and fell to the ground; though it was still very much alive. She lunged toward it and put the tip of her staff right at its knees and thrusted herself upward into a flip and, taking the staff with her as she flipped, she banged against its downcast head, dragging the sharp point through its ashen skin leaving a trail of red oozing from the wound she had created.

It rose once more, seemingly unaffected by the barrage of attacks that her and the others had loosed on it. It raised its massive hand and a giant red ball of energy surrounded it, quickly pulling her and the others towards the menacing form and then it ran its blade across the ground, sparks flying as the metal connected with the asphalt, in attempt to slash them in half. She ran in front of the blade, close to its body, but the other three weren’t so lucky. She turned to see her fallen comrades, their bodies split in half at the waist, innards and gore surrounding their halves. Bile built up in her mouth and she spit it out as she readied her weapon once more.

She heard Prompto yell something, but the ringing in her head took prevalence as she lunged toward the monster once more. Suddenly, a brightness that blinded her instantly appeared behind the giant, and it fell to the ground with her having barely enough time to roll out of the way. Then it finally began to dissipate into a black smoke, dead and returning from where it came from. 

“Morrigan, come on! The red ones are worse!” she heard Prompto yell from the other side of the road. She went to move, but her body just fell to the ground instead. Her eyes pleaded with the blond as he ran to her fallen form. She watched him squat down. “Climb on. It’s just right over there.” She put her arms around his shoulders and lifted as best as she could, but it gave him enough room to put his arms underneath her legs and hoist her onto his back. “Hang on tight. We’re making a run for it.”

As he ran, her head bobbed back and forth, sending wave upon wave of dizziness through her mind. As the world swirled around her, she couldn’t fight back against the darkness that entered her vision, nor could she stop her head from falling harshly against the back of Prompto’s neck. He, realizing what had just happened, ran as quickly as he could to the light before him.

**********

She opened her eyes slowly, the light from the lantern invaded her senses, causing her to wince as she closed them once more. She felt a hand press gently on her head, surprisingly soft given how badly her head throbbed. She opened her eyes once more to see an older man, grey, almost silver, hair with matching short beard and striking hazel eyes, standing in front of her and her heart began to beat fast. She quickly rose to sit and tried to back away from the man, but the pain that shot through her body all but stopped her. She saw him raise his hands, palms out, to her, his own features filled with concern.

“Hey, I ain’t gonna hurt’cha. I just wanna check ya out.” His voice spoke calmly, but it didn’t calm her own heart beating inside her chest. “I heard what’cha did back there. Ballsy move kid, takin’ on a giant like that. Ol’ Reggie would have a good laugh at it.” Silence surrounded the two of them momentarily before he spoke once more. “Name’s Cid kid. You gotta name? The blond kid brought you in here like a bat outta hell, so you must mean something to someone. I’d never seen that kid in a tizzy over anythin’ unless it was my granddaughter.” She tried to shake her head, but the pain that took hold of her stopped her short. “Woah there, calm down just a minute. You took a good beatin’ out there, so you should slow down just a bit. Took a good hit to the noggin’ too.” He said as he tapped his own temple. She raised her hand slowly to touch the cloth that was wrapped around her head.

“Mr. Sophiar, if you’ll give us just a moment.” Another voice spoke softly yet sternly. She saw the older man, Cid turn to face another man, probably about the same age, dressed in a dirty white lab coat and dark washed jeans.

“Oh sure. Kid,” he began as he turned to face her once more. “You got good friends.” He finished before he stepped out and left her alone with the other man.

Fear all but stopped her beating heart once more as she man approached her slowly, clipboard in hand as he shuffled through the papers clipped to it. He stopped at the side of the cot she was sitting on and reached out to touch the cloth wrapped around her head, but she pushed his hand away before he could get too close. He sighed as he peered into her eyes so deeply that she felt like he was looking directly into her soul.

“Your vital signs are normal except your blood sugar. Have you eaten today? Drank anything?” his soft voice asked. She shook her head slightly as not to send her world spiraling. “Here,” he began as he pulled a small pack of crackers out of his coat pocket, but she didn’t move to take them. “It’s just crackers. See, unopened. You need to get your sugar back up before you pass out on us again.” He placed the brown pack at her covered leg and turned away from her with the clipboard still in his hand. “If you want, I can send your friends in. They’ve been asking about you.” She nodded and watched as he left the tent only to return with Prompto and Ignis trailing behind him. “If the two of you want, take her home and let her rest. Change the cloth every few hours and,” he pulled a small bottle from the same pocket he’d pulled the crackers from. “give her this every four hours but make sure she eats something before she takes it. Nasty side effect of it is vomiting, but it’ll keep the pain away.” He explained as he handed the small orange bottle to Ignis.

“Can do doc. Thanks for the help.” Prompto replied as he waved to the man as he left the tent. He turned to her, his violet eyes shining and a toothy grin plastered to his features. 

“That was so awesome Morrigan! Iggy,” he turned to Ignis and grasped at his sleeve. “You should’ve seen it! She was like _hyah_ and _hah_!”

“Yes Prompto, I’m sure her show was well preformed given her current state of wear.” Ignis replied as he chuckled and pushed his glasses up the bridge of his nose. “Are you alright, my dear?” he asked turning to her, his brows suddenly knit with concern. She tried her best to put a smile on her features, but it turned out lopsided and pained. “Permit me to suggest we head home. Prompto, may I advise she stay with me until she is fully healed? I do not doubt your care, but I feel as if I am more adept in caring for the injured.” He asked the blond beside him who was still fighting his own battle against the air.

“Oh, yeah, sure. If it’ll make you feel better. I’ll call Gladio and let him know what’s up.” Prompto replied as he stilled and pulled his phone from his pocket. She watched as he stepped out of the tent as he began talking into the receiver to who she assumed was Gladio by the way he was speaking.

“Are you sure you’re alright?” Ignis’ accented voice asked shaking her from her thoughts.

‘Home.’ She mouthed to him and with a small smile tugging at the corner of his lips, he bent down to help her stand, only for her to fall into his chest as her world began to instantly spin. “Come now, let me help you.” He said as he placed his arm around her shoulders to help guide her out of the tent and to his apartment nearby.

**********

Ignis’ apartment was immaculate, which is something she expected. What she didn’t expect was the amount of hospitality the man could offer. Even though she had turned down every single thing he had offered her, the fact that he wanted to make her feel at home meant the world to her. He finally resorted to wrapping her in a blanket and letting her rest her head against the back of the couch as he flipped through the stations on the television until she pointed to something that caught her attention. Once something finally did, he sat the remote on the coffee table and turned to her slowly.

“May I check your bandage?” he asked carefully. She nodded slowly, and he reached up to gingerly touch the fabric. “Would it be okay if I changed it? We can’t risk an infection.” She remained motionless as he moved to gather the supplies to clean up the still leaking wound. “This will sting, I’m sure, but please refrain from moving away. Afterwards, I’ll whip you up something to eat and then I suggest you rest.” She stilled every muscle in her body as he slowly took off the cloth around her head, but as he got to the last layer and the fabric slowly pulled at the gaping wound, she couldn’t help but wince and pull away. The pain was almost unbearable as he ever so gently placed a pad at the base of her head, just above her temple, and held it there while he wrapped another cloth around her head to hold it in place. Once he was finished and saw that tears were threatening to fall from her viridian eyes, he gently placed a tender kiss at the base of her hairline. “My apologies for causing you such pain. Would a brothy soup make you feel better?” he asked lightly, concern coloring his voice. She couldn’t help but smile weakly at him; everything about him making her feel better by the second. Before she could blink, he was already up and inside the kitchen, doting around the supplies as he cooked her up a quick meal.

“Once you are finished, let me help you to bed. I’ll sleep on the couch while you are here. I will be right on the other side of the wall if you need me.” He explained handing her a small cup filled with amber liquid. Being as it was just broth, it did little to fill her, but it did wonders to have something inside her that wasn’t Prompto’s cooking. He handed her one capsule from the bottle that the doctor had given him, and she prepared for the bitter chalky taste as she placed it in her mouth and took a swig of the broth to swallow it with.

Once the liquid was drained from the cup, she handed it to Ignis and tried to stand, which only sent waves of pain through her body like she’d never felt before. She ended up falling back to the couch as her legs gave out from beneath, her head hitting lightly against the fabric of the back where it had rested not too long ago. She watched as Ignis carefully moved to her left and put his left arm underneath her knees and his right behind her back and lifted her ever so carefully. Every instinct she had told her to fight back, to get away, but in her heart, she knew that Ignis wouldn’t do anything to hurt her. She let herself be picked up gracefully and he pulled her close to his chest, the scent of his cologne and a hint of Ebony still lingering after the long and arduous day. She closed her eyes as he moved, to prevent the world from spinning, and to just enjoy this closeness so matter how much her nerves protested. Ignis wouldn’t hurt her, he wouldn’t. He’d gladly bring harm to himself before her.

**********

“Ah, you’re back, my dear? You seem to have hurt yourself. We can’t have you marring that beautiful face of yours, now can we?” the soft and melodious voice rang out from the darkness. Her skin pricked as the voice floated through the air, her senses on high alert for the owner of the voice. Like smoke dancing across the waves, he made his appearance a grim reminder of her past encounters with him. The disease no longer dripped from his features as he slowly approached her fallen form. 

She watched as he slowly reached out towards her, but she raised her arm to slap his hand away before he got too close to her. The man standing above her let out a small chuckle but was completely unphased otherwise as he went to reach toward her once more, dodging her strike and violently grabbing her chin, forcing her to look straight at him.  
“I just want to see what makes you tick, my dear. Is it this dear boy here?” the man spoke, his voice filled with scorn as he waved his free hand in the air and an image of Ignis appeared near them. As she watched his body contort and disfigure, her eyes went wide and filled with tears. His features were filled with so much pain, like he was really there. “It does appear as if I’ve found it. Now let’s see what I can do with this newfound information,” he turned to face her once more, his features grave, his amber eyes burning, “Shall we, my dear?”

While the man was seemingly distracted by his own show, she pushed herself away from his grip and stood up, every muscle in her body screaming and begging to be stilled.  
“I will not allow you to harm him.” Her voice rang out over the silence, echoing ever so slightly as if she were in a cavern deep underground. “I’ll gladly lay down my life to protect his.” She took a determined step toward him. “This world has done nothing but show me the ugliness it has to offer. That man, as well as the rest of them, have showed me that this world isn’t just a cold and dead place.” Another step toward him as she clenched her hands into fists, her nails digging into her palms, tearing at the skin. “And that man in particular has given me nothing but kindness.” She raised her hands like she would hold her staff and with a blue flash, it appeared, its tip trained on the man before her. “I will not allow you to harm him or anyone else that I’ve come to care for!” 

She lunged toward him, not even sure is she was going to reach him before he got to her, which she didn’t. She fell not so gracefully to the ground as he stepped lethargically out of the way, his features akin to bored as he looked down on her fallen form once more.

“We’re you trying to hurt me, dear?” A chuckle sounded from his throat as he vanished into a plume of dark miasma. “That wouldn’t be wise.” He wasn’t standing in front of her, he wasn’t anywhere to be seen as she scanned around her. Fear gripped her once more as she let out a scream, a guttural noise that she’d never heard before from anyone much less herself, and she banged the ground with closed palms. She was scared, terrified of everything that could possibly happen to Ignis, to all her friends. 

“Morrigan, wake up dear.” A soft voice called ever so kindly. “Wake up, please.”

Her eyes shot open as she threw herself upwards, vertigo taking over her mind as she struggled to throw her legs over the side of the bed and run to the bathroom to empty the barely there contents of her stomach into the toilet. She felt a hand rub her back gently as she heaved, the noise itself bringing bile up her throat. Once her stomach finally calmed its storm, she turned to face the man behind her. Ignis held out a wad of toilet paper and she accepted it to wipe the bile from her mouth.

“I heard you yelling. My apologies for intruding, but I feared the worst.” His voice said as his brows knit with concern. “Is there anything I can do?” He placed his ungloved hand softly on her cheek and gently ran his thumb over her cheekbone, causing her to nuzzle deeply into his palm, like it held all the answers she needed to hear.

Ignis helped her stand to her own shaking feet and walked her to bed once more. As he rose tall to return to the couch, she grabbed his pant leg, automatically stopping him and he turned to face her once more. She placed her hand on her chest and made the beating motion once more. With a warm smile that seemed to light up the darkness, he sat beside her and placed her hand to his chest, allowing her to feel his heartbeat. The bed creaked lightly as she pushed herself to sit and she forced her head through the crook of his arm to place her ear to his heart. Feeling it beating wasn’t enough, she wanted, _needed_ to hear it. Hearing his heartbeat brought her calmness. Hearing the blood pump through his veins brought her every semblance of peace that she needed to finally calm all her fears and anxieties that coursed through her own veins.

She turned her gaze to him, his eyes downcast to see hers and a small smile on his features. She lifted one hand to lightly brush away his bangs that had fallen into his ardent eyes, which were no longer hidden behind his glasses. The ice around her guarded heart melted as she craned her neck to lightly press her lips to his. His lips were soft, warm, welcoming, while hers were dry, cracked and chapped. Contact only lasted a fraction of a second before she pulled away, her features now redder than the vanished sun. Ignis, too, was stunned at her boldness, but it didn’t stop him from slowly letting a smile house itself on his own lips and gently lean her head forward to place a small kiss upon her hairline.

“You are truly a beautiful being, my dear.” His voice whispered into her hair. She felt the strands of her fiery mane dance in the breeze from his breath and with the dancing came another feeling. Courage.

She lifted her head to face him and opened her mouth carefully, as if she moved too quickly, it would snap shut. She tried to form words, but the only sound that came out was a quiet squeak. She tried again, slower, more deliberate as she forced the air from her lungs. Still nothing came out.

“It’s okay darling. Rest your weary bones for now and I’ll wake you in the morning.” He rubbed her hair as he spoke so softly, so kindly. She slowly raised a finger to point at him and then at the bed. “You want me to sleep there?” He asked, his eyebrows raised in confusion as she nodded in reply. “But that would be indecent. Permit me to suggest--“ His speech was cut off as she placed a hand on his arm, stopping him from moving as well. “Are you certain?” he asked, and she nodded, her eyes telling him everything he needed to know. She wanted to be held, to feel arms, his arms, around her, holding her tightly and lovingly, and in only a way that Ignis Scientia could. 

With those thoughts in mind, he gracefully crawled to the side of the bed that she hadn’t occupied and threw the covers over the both of them. Placing his head on the pillow and his left arm over her waist, she nestled close to him, throwing her own arm over his ribs. She felt him gently rub her back as she fought to keep her eyes open, but in the end, her weariness won, and her lids finally closed, and she fell into a light slumber.

**********

A loud knock at the door woke her from her sleep, the sound jarring and terrifying. She glanced around the room to find it empty and devoid of any sign of life save her and the messed up bedspread. A booming voice sounded over her fears and before she knew it, Gladiolus was barging into the bedroom where she waited. The sight of the bigger man rushing toward her like he had a fire under his feet terrified her, and she covered herself with the blanket. But when he stopped just short of her frame, not even close to the bed, she lowered it slightly, right below her nose, and gazed at him.

“Are you alright? I got here as fast as I could.” He inquired, his voice filled with nothing but concern and worry. Before she could even make motion to reply, he collapsed on the end of the bed, far away from her knowing that she didn’t like close proximities. His hands fell to his knees as he hunched toward the floor, like he’d been holding the weight of the world up on his shoulders for longer than he could remember. “What the hell were you thinking taking on something like that? You could have been killed.” He didn’t face her as he spoke, but she heard the crack in his voice as he held back the emotions that he wanted to set free. She moved to place a hand gently on his massive shoulder, it barely covering even half of the skin there.

“Gladio, I assure you that she is well taken care of. I do understand your concern and I’ve taken it upon myself to aid her healing.” Ignis’s voice rang out through the silence, his voice being the beacon of reason that he needed at that moment. She looked toward the door to see him enter with a tray filled with what looked like breakfast.

“I know but, what would’ve happened if she died? What if-“

“Gladio, trust me. I am not keen on the thought of her being hurt, but the fact of the matter is, she did get hurt. Prompto was there to make sure she was well. Take a breath and calm down. You are scaring her.” Ignis moved further into the room, placed the tray at her side and handed her the notebook as he knew that she wished to say something to the giant at the end of the bed. She took it, scribbled out her words to him, and tapped his arm with the spiral bound.

_I’m okay. Please don’t yell anymore. I don’t like it. I’m alive and that’s what matters. But I needed to do it. I needed to honor my sister. I needed to get over that fear that I had. Now I’m not afraid of it. Now I’m not afraid of anything. Thank you for worrying about me, but you don’t have to. I am okay._

“I know but-“ Gladiolus began, but she popped his arm, surprising him and a smile lit up his features. “I suppose you’re right. I’m sorry I yelled, but you have to understand where I’m coming from as well.” He finally turned to face her fully, his right leg on the bed and his left still off the edge. “Morrigan, just don’t do anything so reckless again. You may think that you’re just a nobody that doesn’t have anyone. Well, you have us, and we worry about you just like we would do ourselves. But unlike you, we can handle what comes at us. Now, I don’t doubt your training since I did it myself, but there is no telling what those daemons would do. You’re lucky to be alive.” He explained. 

In truth, she did understand where he was coming from. She understood that he cared, that they all cared. But at the time, the only thing that ran through her mind was her sister and how she felt the need to redeem herself to her. Come hell or high water, she wasn’t going to fail at that task. She did what she did for her sisters sake, for her mothers sake. She didn’t want to be a coward anymore, and now she felt like she wasn’t. She didn’t feel like a failure anymore.

“Come now Gladio, let her rest. It’s time for her to eat so she can take her medicine.” Ignis explained, fully aware that his words ended their conversation where it was. With a halfhearted smile toward her, Gladiolus departed the room, leaving her alone with Ignis. 

She picked at the meal he’d made, but eventually forced herself to eat all of what he’d plated for her. In truth, she wasn’t hungry. Gladiolus’s words resonated with her, catching her by surprise even after all this time that someone in all of Eos cared for her. She knew full well the extent that all of them would go to keep her safe and protected, but it was another thing to actually see it unravel before her eyes.

“Morrigan, are you alright?” Ignis asked, taking her from her thoughts as she picked at the bit of leftover egg on her plate. She forced a smile, one that didn’t quite reach her eyes. But ever vigilant as he was, he knew that there was something on her mind. He handed her the notepad that Gladiolus had left at the end of the bed so that she could share her thoughts with him.

_It just still surprises me that people are so caring for others. I mean, I have always tried to be like that, but I noticed that the kindest people always get taken advantage of in the end, so I still get wary around trusting people. You guys though are so kind and understanding of me and the events that I went through so long ago now. You guys didn’t push me to be something that I wasn’t and you accepted me for who I was rather than what I could offer you. You guys are selfless and forgiving to me and yourselves. I just hope you see how great you guys really are._

“Prompto approached you at the beginning with nothing but goodness in his heart. That boy is nothing but goodness, as you’ve learned I’m sure. He’d just as quickly do it for someone else. However, he’s told me, in confidence mind you, that you always struck him as a bit odd, but not in a way that made him feel uneasy. He could tell by looking at you that you’d been through somethings that you didn’t deserve, and he just wanted to make your life a little easier. Gladio had mentioned a time or two that you’ve got a fire burning inside you, one that even his rigorous training failed to extinguish; which he was jubilant over for weeks after you’d began training. He too, learning rather quickly that your life had been unfair, so he tried to give you a little slack, but that was before you showed him just how determined you were to grow stronger.” He explained as he gathered up the tray and handed her the small white pill for her to take. He left momentarily to put the tray in the kitchen but returned quickly to finish their conversation. Once he returned, she held out the notebook to him so that he could read what she’d written while he was gone.

_What about you? What did you think of me when we first met?_

A small smile tugged at the corner of his lips as he mulled over his words. “Me? I had my reservations, thus I left everything up to Noct. I knew that if Prompto wanted you to stay, which he in fact did, then Noct would be easy to sway. However, I would be lying if I said that I didn’t want you to stay. I feel fortunate to have met you, my dear.” He sat beside her and let his hand rest beside hers. “I… I’ve never been one to express my feelings, to anyone, or myself for that matter. I’ve always been the one that has the level head, the one that keeps the others collected in their own endeavors. However, once you joined us, everything seemed to run just a bit more smoothly. It was easy enough to find suitable arrangements for your needs seeing as you didn’t require much more than the rest of us, and you were easy enough to get along with, even with you not fully trusting us at the beginning.”

“But it dawned on me one afternoon as I was cleaning up the motel for our departure. I was selfish in thinking that I didn’t want you to leave. That is why I suggested that you accompany us to Altissia. Had I known of the events that transpired there, I would have begged you to remain here in Lucis; but I am glad that you went with us. I do regret that you had to bear witness to the Hydraean’s rage like you did, but I do believe that if you were never there with us, I would have never found the courage to do what I did and save Noct.”

She scribbled her words out on the paper before her, her mind racing as she wondered about everything he had just told her.

_Save Noct? What do you mean?_

A sigh left him as he read her words. He hadn’t told anyone what he’d seen from the vision, nor did he intend to, but knowing that the time had come, he opened his lips to explain. “Pryna, the white pup belonging to the late Lady Lunafreya, served as a messenger, as well as Umbra. She came to me during her last moments to show me a vision of what was to come. I saw…” His voice trailed and cracked as he tried his hardest to explain everything. “Noct, sitting on the throne as the rightful King. The Kings of Yore surrounding him, impaling him with their phantom weapons. Noct was supposed to perish to return the light, and I just couldn’t accept that. I…” She watched as he clenched his jaw in attempt to keep himself composed, but his words had explained enough. She placed her hand atop his and gave it a gently squeeze. He turned to face her, his own features pained and his green eyes filling with his sadness and regret. 

As a single tear wormed its way free from the confines of his lids, she brushed her thumb across his cheek to halt its advance downward. He watched her with tears still forming as he placed a hand on her chest, right above her heart and put that same hand to his own heart. Though she made no motion to form words with her mouth, he knew the message that she was trying to convey.

“Your heart and my heart. You heart belongs with my heart. My heart belongs with your heart.” A bright toothy smile formed on her features as he understood her motions. Before she could blink, he had wrapped his long arms around her slender frame, his embrace filling her with a warmth that she’d never felt before unless it was from her mother. She couldn’t help but snake her arms around him in return, her hands gripping the back of his shirt so tightly that her knuckles turned white. As he pulled away, he brought one hand to cup her chin and raise her head to face him. He searched inside her viridian eyes like they held all the answers in the universe and slowly leaned in and placed the smallest of kisses on her lips. “You’ve become my eternity.” He spoke softly, almost a whisper, as he gazed at her.

Morning came and went, the sun never making its grand appearance in the dark sky above. The four of them had gotten used to the fact that the world would be consumed by darkness until Noctis returned. They didn’t know how long he would be gone, but they all knew that he would come back. Despite the rumors going around about how the prince suddenly vanished, or some saying that he had truly passed and if anyone had actually seen him, it was just a look-a-like, they knew. They held onto the hope that he would return, because his calling hadn’t been completed. His true calling would not be completed until the sun rose in the sky once more. 

Prompto had trained alone most times, claiming that he wanted to better himself for his friend and for his own personal gain. He didn’t want to feel like a burden to his friends any longer, so there was one night that he told them goodbye and didn’t return for a long while. When he finally did, and with usual fashion, he limped to them, holding his arm as a large gash had begun to leak his own lifeblood. Ignis stitched him up the best he could but ordered him to take it easy and not use the arm. But his stubbornness knew no bounds as he was right back at it the next night. None of them could get him to just sit still long enough for his body to heal, so they all resigned to watching him spar with Gladiolus on the rooftops.

Gladiolus, on the other hand, they weren’t too worried about. They knew that he could take care of himself. When he disappeared for weeks at a time, they knew that he was gathering intel on the current state of Insomnia as well as his own hunts with his sister, who had apparently become quite proficient in the skill; which surprised all of them. He would still be around at least once a month for a week at a time to train Morrigan and Ignis, so their own skills wouldn’t go to waste.

Ignis frequently met with General Ravus, who had now become King Ravus of Tenebrae, and had successfully procured an alliance with the nation for rebuilding efforts and any other type of help they would need once Noctis finally returned to reclaim the throne. Though their messages were few and far between, Morrigan and Ignis’s relationship grew into something that scared her, but it also lit a fire in her heart. After Prompto had done his vanishing act once more, she sound herself in his apartment more often than not, the thought of being alone still terrifying to her. The times that he was at home, the two of them enjoyed their own company with Ignis either cooking, reading, or training himself in various types of skills that he deemed valuable to have, like sewing and many forms of dagger throwing.

Morrigan herself had frequently been contacted by the Marshall himself, since Gladiolus had more or less enrolled her into the Glaive training program that he’d started, to do supply runs as well as other various training courses with the Glaives that he had recruited. As her proficiency using the staff had excelled, her skills with other weapons were still subpar at best and he felt it necessary to train her in other forms of weaponry. In just a short two years, she had mastered a scythe as well as a small sword and she could be seen frequently carrying on her back both the staff that she had been given as well as a scythe that she had made from her own materials that she had obtained on supply runs, thanks to Cid’s machine that he had crafted for the Glaives to use for their own weapons.

**********

Talcott Hester had grown into a handsome young man, one that his grandfather would be proud of. Though he didn’t get the training needed to participate in the supply runs, he did what he could around the lighted town by bringing healing items when needed or just keeping company of the more lonesome folk. Morrigan could tell that he had a big heart, though he always did when he was a child as well, and she was beyond relieved when the ten years of darkness didn’t stop his heart from glowing like it did when he was a kid. He remained that constant in her life and, even though she had Ignis who would be away a considerable about of time, Talcott would always find her, and he would share his day with her or they would just sit in silence as the cloud filled sky droned on above them.

Once he was old enough to drive, he packed his bags and headed for the outpost that had once been Hammerhead, mainly to help Miss Cindy with anything that needed to be done, but to also keep an eye on the ruins of his fallen home. He’d seen a few things that would be of interest to Ignis and the rest, and he never failed to inform them of his findings. He would recall fondly of the Citadel and how massive it was, and relay to the older man of how he’d seen bright lights coming from the ruins. One phone call in particular had set their hearts ablaze with hope.

Umbra, the messenger for the gods, had stumbled into the outpost, weary and broken. Talcott in all his kind mercy, took the dog and cared for him until he was healed. Once Umbra was back on his feet, the dog did nothing but stand at the fence that Cindy had erected to keep the daemons at bay, staring out toward the dark ruins. After a time, his behavior became erratic and he would jump and bark at the fence like he was begging to be let out. Talcott would do what he could to keep the dog calm, and even though it had worked in the past, it was not the case this time. 

“Miss Cindy! I’m going to go on a drive. Umbra seems antsy.” He called to the blonde who was underneath the frame of a truck. He watched as she rolled herself out from the bottom and sat up.

“He’s been doin’ that fer a while. Just be safe, okay. Call if you need anything.” She replied as she moved to hand him the keys to his own truck. “Need me to call the boys about it?” she then asked, her green eyes suddenly alight in the darkness.

“Yes ma’am. I have a feeling this run will give us what we all want.”

As he loaded up the bed of his truck and let Umbra hop in the passenger seat, he noticed that she had shed her grease stained gloves, pulled her phone from her back pocket and began to call his friends back in Lestallum with the news of something happening. 

“Alright. They’ll be here by the time you get back. You come back with that lazy Prince, alright.” She spoke with a smile in her voice, one that he hadn’t heard her use in a while.

“Yes ma’am.” He replied, his eyes determined, his voice calm. He just _knew_ that his outing on this day would bring back the one thing that could save the world.

The road was silent, like even the daemons knew something was happening and they didn’t want to be a part of it. Eerie as it was, he remained hopeful as the road before him lay empty and dark. As he made his way to the darkened Galdin Quay, Umbra began to fidget in his seat, like he wanted to be let lose to run around, like he wanted to play. That was when he saw a figure, a man, on the side of the road, disheveled and almost as ruined as the rest of the world. He didn’t think much of it until he realized exactly who it was he had seen in the beam of his headlights. He slammed on the breaks, his head almost coming into contact with the steering wheel as he did so and, thrusted the door open in complete disbelief as to who came sauntering up to the truck.

“P-Prince Noctis!” He stuttered, completely in awe of the man that had vanished a long ten years before. 

“What’s going on? Who are you?” Noctis replied, confusion and concern growing in both his features and voice.

“You don’t recognize me, do you? That’s understandable. Ten years is a long time.” He explained and as if ten years of darkness wasn’t enough to bring him pain, the look on the much older mans face before him made his young heart crack.

“…Talcott?” he spoke, barely above a whisper and the younger man nodded, his smile still grim.

“Let’s get you back to the outpost. The others will be there too.” He opened the door for the Prince and watched carefully as he climbed inside the cab of his truck and buckled his seatbelt. He pulled his phone from the cubby under the radio and tapped a few numbers before placing it to his ear. “I found him.”


	7. Frenzy and Rest

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm back, and I'm sorry it took so long. There is a long story as to why I vanished, and I hate that it came down to what it did, but I'm in a much better place mentally and physically. I never forgot about this work of mine, and I never intended to kinda abandon it for as long as I did. A lot of crap happened, but here I am with the newest chapter. I hope you enjoy! And please bear with the flaws. I've got to get back into the groove of things.

They waited with bated breath as light after light showed over the horizon. Galdin Quay was no more than a thirty-minute drive, unless something stopped the young boy from returning. The thought made her blood turn cold. Though she never spent much time with Talcott, she still didn’t want to see him harmed. He deserved to see the dawn again, if not more than the rest of them. Ignis placed a plate on the table before her, taking her from her mulling thoughts. She pushed it away, something she had never done in the ten years that she’d known him. He wasn’t exactly hurt by her actions, for he did understand what she was thinking, what they were all thinking.

They were all worried, some more than others as they waited for those headlights to appear over the dark horizon. He watched as Prompto focused himself on the table before him, scrapping at it with his thumbnail so hard that it left an indention in the wood. Gladiolus had resigned himself to a window nearby, staring blankly out at the inky blackness towards their ruined home with his arms crossed over his giant torso. Morrigan had leaned her head against the back of a booth, wishing to remain alone until something, good or bad, happened. Even he, who was normally the calmest of the four of them, found himself keeping his mind busy by pulling his notebook out of his pocket over and over again only to scribble words here and there without making much headway into anything of value.

Takka’s Pit Stop over the ten years had become a rather busy place since it was right there at the only garage that Lucis knew. The place was kept inside the lighted gates as to keep anyone that would come by safe, as well for their own personal gain of sight. Takka still hadn’t gotten used to all the commotion, but tonight was different for everyone that was crowded around the booth. The air was somber, but still hopeful, as he watched the four people clad in Kingsglaive uniforms enter. He knew them, of course, for they had ran many a mission for him in the past, but that didn’t stop him from feeling the awe that he felt in their presence. It seemed just like yesterday that the young prince was complaining about a run he’d sent them on and how he didn’t want it to be beans. If only King Regis could see them now, how grown up they’d become, how much of a family they had become despite everything that had happened to them.

Lights flickered over the hills and their eyes immediately jumped to their brightness. Prompto jumped from the table and ran to the doors while Gladio had only turned his body to face them. Ignis remained seated beside Morrigan, who had fallen asleep on his shoulder. It wasn’t until the lights got right outside the gate did he move ever so carefully to wake her.

“Dear, it’s time to wake up.” His voice softly called, barely above a whisper as the atmosphere around them grew heavier. She lifted her head slowly and blinked the fatigue from her eyes. He knew full well that she hadn’t been sleeping well, if at all, the past month or so as the nightmares grew worse. He had already begun his planning as to what he would do once the Prince, King, had returned. He stood from the booth, turned to her to help her stand, and the two of them walked to the door to stand beside the bouncing Prompto.

“That’s him. I just know it.” The blond said calmly, yet determined, as he watched the lights grow in size and Talcott’s truck finally appear behind them.

Before she knew it, she was following the four men outside into the darkness. Though there were many lights and she was in the company of capable people, she couldn’t help but feel a little fear as she placed one tentative foot in front of the other. Her mind seemed to be in overdrive as she thought about what would happen now that the Prince had returned. She barely heard the commotion from the guys as her mind swirled and raced; and she was suddenly filled with doubt.

_They’ll be done with me._  
_No they won’t. They care for me._  
_Ha! You think that now, but what happens when all this is said and done? Where do you end up then?_

She couldn’t help but place her hands to her ears and press hard as she fought to keep her minds voice from speaking. Suddenly, the voice that she’d always heard in moments of panic and fear crept into her mind like a storm.

_They never cared for you. The past ten years meant nothing to them. You only stopped them from doing what needed to be done. They could have had him back way before now if it weren’t for you. Stop kidding yourself you little twit. You were stupid to believe that they actually liked you. You were even more stupid to believe that one of them actually had feelings for you. He never liked you. Out of all of them, he was the one that hated you the most. He resents you. He wants you de-_

“Morrigan? You okay?” Prompto’s voice spoke, soft and kind, snapping her out of her thoughts. She shook her head quickly to rid the voice from her mind and finally nodded at him. His expression was nothing short of concern, but he didn’t question further. He knew what it was like to have those thoughts, for even now, he had them frequently.

“Come now, we should begin planning our course of action upon our arrival back inside the city walls.” Ignis’s voice called out, his own thoughts from before seemingly vanished. With a nod to the four men before her, they walked themselves back into the café and began their own strategy.

**********

“This is where it all started. When we found out about King Regis, when we learned of all of Insomnias fate…” Prompto’s voice seemed to trail off as his memories about the beginning of their journey seemed to still be crystal clear. “It was here that we learned that Noct was supposed to be dead. It was here that we planned on what to do then, and here we are now, at the end, planning on taking our home back.”

The night was dark, much like any other, but things seemed to lack that just right amount of light that Hammerhead could offer. They knew that the light of the fire wouldn’t keep back the daemons long, but they hoped that they wouldn’t need that long to gather their own courage and put to rest their fears. Any time the fire died down, Gladiolus was always the one to go off and gather wood. Any time any of them showed any signs of fear or uncertainty, Prompto was always there with a quick word that had them all laughing in a matter of moments. They talked endlessly, about what had happened while Noctis was gone, about the training that Morrigan had taken while he was gone. A few times, she couldn’t help but glance at Ignis, his form so composed and tactical, but still managing to remain soft and gentle. She realized that she’d never seen the man angry. In the ten years that she was with them while Noctis slept, none of them had even raised their voices around her. They never threatened her with physical harm; no, they never did anything to bring any form of discomfort to her. If anything, it was like they had bent over backwards to make sure that she was okay. She felt that she needed to do something, anything, to show her thanks. She didn’t know if they would return from their battle, and she knew that she wanted to go with them, but she also knew that they would make her stay behind. This was their fight after all, but that wasn’t going to stop her from doing what she could while they were still with her.

Their conversation had trailed off into something that wasn’t important, so she cleared her throat roughly, the sound almost foreign to her. She couldn’t remember the last time that she had used her own voice, and she highly doubted that if she tried, it would work now, but she wanted to, she needed to. The three of them silenced themselves to look at her, their gazes confused but still expecting.

Silence surrounded them as she opened her mouth and quickly shut it, not quite sure of what to say. “I…” her voice, weak and raspy, but still holding the tone that she’d known from long ago. She noticed that Prompto made movement to say something, but she quickly raised her hand which told him to stay quiet. She sighed as she tried to think of her words before they left her lips.

“Prompto,” she began, her voice still low and barely above a whisper. The now much older boy to her left perked up but remained silent as he waited for her to start once more. “I’ve watched these past ten years as you grew into a wonderful person. In the beginning, I had my reservations, but you took it upon yourself to bring me away from that, and for the amount of kindness that you’ve shown me, I am forever thankful.” Her voice grew in strength slowly as she used her vocal chords more and more. “I was always ashamed of where I came from. I was always just the stupid little girl from Duscae; always the one that wouldn’t ever amount to anything. But thanks to you, I’m not that person anymore. I can protect the people I want to, the people I care for.” She turned to face Gladiolus, who straightened in his camping chair.

“Gladiolus, you’ve been a great person to me as well. You’ve taken me in as an apprentice, and thanks to that, I am much stronger than I ever thought I would be. I’m not afraid of what’s out there anymore. I mean, daemons and things like that are not to be taken lightly, but I feel that with what you’ve done for me, all the training you put me through, I feel like I could do what I needed to, and if it ever came down to it, lay down my life to protect those that can’t protect themselves. Why? Because I wanted you all do it for me, and you always did without fail.” She felt her voice fading once more as she turned her gaze to Noctis, who looked on her with confusion but was still seemingly thankful she was there with them all while he was gone. She didn’t realize that using her voice would take this much out of her. She was beginning to feel fatigued, but she felt that needed to say more before she rested for the night.

“Noctis, you’ve been gone for so long, and I am glad to have you back. I know we didn’t get the chance to get to know each other better before you left us, but that’s what the future is for, right? I’ve watched these three boys grow into wonderful young men and I hope that you’re proud of who they’ve become. I can say with most confidence that they aren’t the same people anymore, but they’ve grown for the better. They are upstanding gentlemen and I am glad to have known them, even if it was for a short while. I had remained silent for three years before I met the four of you, and it was you guys that made me want to use my voice again. So, thanks to you Noctis, for allowing me to tag along all those years ago, I found my voice. Thank you.” She sighed, her words beginning to jumble in her mind, but she had one more person to talk to before she could stop.

“Ignis,” The tactician leaned forward with anticipation as she gathered her thoughts about what to say to this wonderful man that she’d grown to care for, far more than she could ever see herself caring for anyone. “There are things I wish I could tell you; my past, my dreams, what my heart screams out for daily, but I can’t do that here. Would you come with me to talk more privately?” she asked as she fought with her legs to stand. “Don’t worry, we’ll be back in a minute. It’s just, private.” She explained to the group as they looked at her concerned and confused. Ignis nodded and rose quickly to walk beside her as they made their way far enough away out earshot but still within the light of the fire. She trusted that the others wouldn’t listen in on their own personal conversation.

“I’m sorry to pull you away from everyone, but what I have to say involves things I know I wouldn’t be able to speak of if there were anyone else around.” She explained, her voice calm, but her fingers were twisting together as she felt that she was turning into an anxious mess. She only stopped once she felt his gloved hand upon her writhing fingers.

“You may speak your mind with me, my dear. Please, continue.” His accented voice replied, instantly calming her nerves. With a sigh, she spoke once more.

“Before you say anything, just let me finish, okay?” she asked, and he nodded in response, his brow knitted slightly in concern. “I’m sorry that I’ve kept things from you, but I just didn’t know how to voice them before, much less write them down. The biggest thing I think you should know is that I know where some of my family is, but seeing as they are so far away, I wasn’t able to go to them. Before my momma came here and met my daddy, she lived in Tenebrae, but that’s all that I know of for sure. I knew she had a sister and a brother that she left behind but seeing as I don’t know the reason why she left in the first place, I don’t even know if they are still alive or know of her death. Please don’t tell the others this. I know it’s stupid to not want something as silly as that out, but I want to be the one to tell them, in my own time.” He nodded in agreement as she began to wring her fingers once more, her knuckles turning white at the force she was putting behind it.

“Lastly, and this sounds silly as well, but I want to talk to you about feelings. More specifically, the feelings that I have.” She looked up into his ardent eyes, eyes that mirrored her own. But that’s where she found the strength she needed to say what she needed to.

“Ignis, I care for you. More than a friend should, and I’m terrified that you’ll die out there. Please, don’t get hurt. I don’t know what I would do without you in my life. I look up to you, and I want to do anything in my power to keep you as you are. You have a big heart and with that same heart, you’ve accepted me for who I am; a screw up. But you’ve never once looked at me that way. When you look at me, I can’t say for sure what you see, but I can tell you what I see when I look at you. I see a man, a wonderful, warm hearted, handsome man. Someone that deserves anything they set their mind to. Someone that deserves anyone better than me, but…” Her voice faltered, her mind blank as she tried to think of everything she needed to say. “But I want to do anything in my power to be someone worthy of you. I can’t say for certain if something like that is possible, but I would fight tooth and nail to prove to you that I can be worthy.” She stopped for a moment to catch her breath, but before she could muster up the courage to speak once more, Ignis had lightly pulled her toward him, his arms wrapped around her in a soft embrace. She felt her knees buckle under her weight and she didn’t do anything to stop her legs from falling out from underneath her. But Ignis never let go of her.

“My dear, I’ve waited so long to hear those words, especially from you.” He slightly pushed her away from him only to look into her eyes. He made motion to move a strand of hair from her forehead, a gesture that she’d grown to love. “I wouldn’t dare wish to be anywhere else but here. We’ve faced many hardships in our lives, both of us, but I can say, without the slightest hint of doubt in my mind, that with you by my side, I would gladly go through them again, if only to protect you better.” He gingerly leaned her head forward to plant a small peck at her hairline. “I wouldn’t want to go through another life without you in it.”

She felt the warmth of tears fill her eyes as his words resonated with her heart. In truth, she was afraid, but she knew that with this wonderful man beside her, she could face anything and come out victorious in the end. As her thoughts raced, images of a true future, one that she had worked so hard for in the last ten years, Ignis leaned in and pressed a small kiss to her lips, one that she returned earnestly, and laughed, a real laugh. She sat back on her feet to give him a little space to breath as she wiped the tears from her eyes, still smiling all the while.

“I know you won’t let me go with you guys tomorrow but please, come home soon. Come back to me.” She spoke as she grasped his gloved hand lightly. He returned her gesture as he laced his fingers with hers and gave a gentle squeeze.

“I’ll be home before you know it, my love.” He replied, a smile coloring his features as he looked up at the stars. “Look, up there...” his voice trailed as she raised her gaze to see a shooting star flickering in the distance. “No doubt you’ve heard the tales; you’re supposed to make a wish on them.” She watched as he closed his eyes and made his silent wish, and she did the same moments later. Once they were both done with their wishes, they looked on at each other once more.

“What did you wish for?” she asked carefully, completely unaware of what would leave his lips afterwards.

“To be honest, my dear, I’ve got everything I’ve ever wished for right here beside me. But alas, this wish you’ll just have to live through with me.” A smirk crossed his lips as she playfully hit his arm and chuckled. “We should return before our absence makes the others wary.” He explained as he rose to stand. He held out his hand for her to take, which she did, and he lifted her to her feet with relative ease. They took one last look at each other before they made their way back to the glow of the campfire in silence.

**********

“I always knew that the two of you had something going on.” A voice rang out to her in the darkness. She turned to see the mangled image of her father, the one daemon she couldn’t get passed.

“You’re not real. You’re dead.” Her voice echoed back in reply. A menacing chuckle filled the silence between them as his figure vanished only to suddenly appeared right before her.

“Am I now?” And before she could move, her father’s body had moved to take her down to the ground. Suddenly, the darkness faded away only for her to see the house that she grew up in. It was raining, and her face was slowly being pushed into the mud as she struggled to break free. “If I were dead, would I be able to do this?” he questioned as she immediately felt a sharp pain in her side. It dawned on her rather quickly that even though he was technically dead, he could still harm her, in more ways than one. The knife in her side proved that to her if she had any doubts in the beginning.

She did the only thing she could think of doing, she kicked one leg upwards in hopes of hitting him, but he dodged it effortlessly. She struggled against his grip harder, only for his form to shimmer and change into that of the man that started everything for her.

“You wouldn’t hurt the man that helped you, right?” Cockiness dripped from his tone as she felt his one free hand grope at her skin. She felt as he gripped at her shirt, fully intending to tear it off of her. He’d done it once before, so what would stop him from doing it again? “That’s right baby. Just take it like a good girl.” 

She stilled her body once more and silenced her mind. She thought of what Prompto would do if he saw what was happening. He would surely help, wouldn’t he? What if Gladiolus saw it? Noctis? Ignis? Surely someone would help her.

“I’ve already told you many a time that they will not come save you here. Even if they wanted to, it’s not like they could find where ‘here’ is anyway.” Another voice rang out, not one belonging to her father or the man. That’s when she realized that whatever this was, whoever this was, was just using visions of her past to weaken her. None of this was real, none of it would ever be real, not anymore. As she realized that, the form holding her down vanished into a puff of black smoke. “Well that’s no fun.” The voice spoke, genuine sadness coloring his tone.

“Who are you?” she asked as she forced herself to stand through the white-hot pain in her side.

“Ah, just a man of no consequence.” The man replied finally making an appearance as he took off his hat to form a low bow. He straightened and spoke once more. “There is one thing I am most curious about, and I was hoping that you would be able to elaborate on it. If you could use your voice for so long, why didn’t you before now?” he questioned.  
He knew about her voice? That meant that he knew about everything else; the plan that they’d made last night before heading off to sleep in their tents, the conversation between all of them, the personal moments between friends. Her bright green eyes grew wide as the thought crossed her mind. The man before her couldn’t help but laugh loudly, the sound echoing around them and bouncing off unseen walls, as she realized everything. She watched as he made what appeared to be a mirror appear through the black smoke that swirled around him.

“Look at your friends, fighting for their lives, only to give up hope once they find out exactly what it is that I’ve got in store for them.”

She watched at Prompto began shooting his gun at an unseen daemon, Noctis warpstruck a daemon in the back as Ignis stabbed the same one in the front. She didn’t see where Gladiolus was, but she was sure that he was there. Just as suddenly as it came, the barrage of attacks was over, and she watched as the four of them, Gladiolus finally making an appearance, wiped the dirt from their garments and began their trek once more to what appeared to be the Citadel. The man flicked his wrist and the mirror was gone once more.  
“You are aware, no doubt, that this was supposed to end completely differently. Can you imagine a timeline where your beloved Prince Noctis perishes at his own fate? I dare say that according to the will of he gods, that is how it was supposed to be, but thanks to your stupid boy,” he gritted his teeth as he spoke. “None of that is to come about. Would you like to know why? It’s because that stupid boy gave up his life for him and that stupid woman brought him back.”

“You mean, Ignis actually died?” she questioned and as soon as it dawned on her, hatred filled her veins. “You killed him?” She couldn’t stop her body from moving on its own as she stomped toward the burgundy haired man near her. “You killed Ignis, and for what? Some stupid prophecy that shouldn’t have come to pass anyway, not if it involved Noctis dying in the process. The only person that needs to die here is you. You’re the one that’s caused all this to happen in the first place.” Her voice was filled with malice as she thought about the fact that Ignis actually died to do what he needed to in order for Noctis to retain his life at the end of this battle.

Despite the fact that she was yelling at him, so close to his own face, he couldn’t help but chuckle at her. “Forgive me darling, but I must return to your friends. I assume you will not tell them of this little bit of information that you’ve learned. I’m sure your dearest doesn’t want them to know.” And with that, his form vanished into a puff of black smoke.  
She felt her body stir as she slowly awakened, only to see darkness from the outside of the nearby window. She wasn’t even sure how long she’d been asleep, but less what time it actually was. All she knew for certain was that she had to wait until the guys returned; and they would return, she knew that with every fiber of her being.

**********

Hours turned into days as Morrigan waited at Hammerhead for their eventual return. The darkness seemed to turn thick, if that were possible, than it was before, like it was its own entity and it knew that it was in danger of being dispelled. Miss Cindy did everything she could to keep her busy. She would often call her over to help her change a tire, change oil, or even to just keep her company as she worked, but she could never bring herself to say much save the usual conversation placeholders. Talcott would often take her into Takka’s for a hot meal and a distraction from the ever-busy Cindy. He knew that that woman did not know how to stop, and she wouldn’t even if her life depended on it.  
“You seem down.” He eventually said to her as she mindlessly stirred the chili that Takka had brought out to her. “You’re worried. I get it. I am too. But worrying isn’t going to solve anything. The only thing we can do here is get ready for when they come back, and they will. Pr- King Noctis is too stubborn to let his friends get hurt on his watch.” The youth spoke to her with more wisdom than someone his age should have, but he was right.

If it were her out there, doing what they were doing, then one could bet with their life that it wouldn’t end well. But the fact of the matter was, it wasn’t her. She wasn’t leading that force. Noctis was; and with him guiding them, as stubborn as he was when he was younger, when she first met him, he grew up. He didn’t have a choice.

“He was also so gentle with me, even before my grandpa died. I blamed myself for that for a long time, but I realized that in the end, it wasn’t my fault. I didn’t send that guy to kill him. I did what I did, what had to be done, to keep King Noctis safe. If I would have told them where he was, there’s a good chance he wouldn’t be there now, fighting to get our city back, fighting to bring back the light.” Talcott spoke suddenly, his tone light and somber. “You wanna hear a funny story when he was younger?” He waited a beat before he spoke again. “There was one time that I was walking the Citadel grounds, in a garden. I still remember the smell of the flowers if I try hard enough. Anyway, I remember sitting in front of a bed of flowers and I heard footsteps. They were slow, like they were trying to hide the fact that they were there. All of a sudden, King Noctis jumps out and yells. He was so excited with the fact that he scared me that he didn’t even realize that I wasn’t actually who he was looking to scare. I was just a kid, so his yelling made me cry, and he felt so bad. He sat down beside me in the dirt and did what he could to calm me down. He apologized like crazy and truth be told, I wasn’t mad at him. I knew he was just playing a game, but that’s how I was back then. We ended up laughing about it later and I told him not to worry about it, but you could tell that he still felt bad about making me cry.” He giggled lightly at the memory, something that she knew he held close to his heart.

“He never really did much around me. When I first met him, I didn’t even know who he was. When I figured it out, I did what any normal person would do around royalty, I bowed low. The look on his face was nothing short of confusion. I don’t know if he didn’t want me knowing who he was, but he knew then that I knew and there wasn’t anything he could do to change it. I kept who he was to myself, which was easy enough for me. I mean, who would actually believe me if I told them anyway?” Morrigan explained as she remembered the memory with a warmth in her heart.

“Can I ask you a question, about your voice?” he asked quietly, like he was unsure if he was crossing a boundary with her. When she nodded, he continued. “Why didn’t you talk for so long? When I first met you, I thought you were just a mute, but something about you, the way you could still laugh and still make vocal sounds told me differently.”

She thought about her answer for a long time before she finally answered. Truth be told, she didn’t think she would have to have this conversation so soon after using her voice, much less with someone as young as Talcott. But she didn’t want that man’s actions to haunt her anymore, and this is how she was going to put a stop to it. “A long time ago, before I lost my sister, my daddy did whatever he could do to keep us away from him. Throwing things at us, knives, bricks, anything really. You see, my momma had just died at this point and he had turned into a complete drunk. He’d always drank before, but before she died, he would probably have one can a night. Now, it was all he drank. He would even lock us out of the house some nights because he didn’t want to be reminded of momma. One day, after spending two nights outside, we came home and found his dead body on a pile of bricks outside the house. I don’t know how he actually died, but you could tell that he’d been there a while. It was during this time, all the time that I spent arguing with him, that I knew words did nothing, so I’d began using my voice less and less, even back then.”

“My voice didn’t work when I really needed it to. It didn’t work to save my sister. That was thirteen years ago, and I’ve lived with that guilt my entire life so far. After that, I went to an outpost, covered in blood. Some people there helped me, and they could tell easily that I’d just been through something horrific. By this time, I’d resorted to just yes and no questions. It wasn’t until someone offered to help me that I stopped all together.”

“Two months after my sister’s death, I was at an outpost, once again, asking for help. I’d ran out of supplies and since I didn’t know how to properly manage then correctly, someone offered to help me. I didn’t know at that time that he just wanted to use me for his own personal gain. I try not to think about it a lot, but I remember him putting a gun to my head and forcing me to my knees in a mostly dark corner. I remember yelling for help, yelling at him to stop, that I didn’t want to do it, but he just kept pushing the barrel further into my skin. I was forced to do something that I didn’t ever want to do, and it was at that point that I realized that even though I yelled and screamed for help, no one did a damn thing to stop and help. So, I just stopped using my voice. I felt that it didn’t help me then, why would it help me now?” she explained, her expression hard. Talcott was silent for what felt like hours before he finally spoke again.

“I’m sorry that you were forced to go through that. No one deserves something like that happening to them. I know it’s not easy to come back from that.” The young boy seemed at a loss for words once he knew her full tale, but he still had more questions. “May I ask why you decided to start speaking again?” She chuckled lightly at his new question, not because it was silly, but because this answer would be a bit harder to explain.

“The only two men I knew were my daddy and that man. I learned at an early age that some men do nasty things, and I didn’t even know what that man was forcing me to do at that time. I just knew it was vile and I didn’t like it. In any case, that’s how I was when I met the boys as well. Prompto came to me first, his voice soothing and comforting, but I couldn’t believe that he didn’t want to hurt me and for a long time, I refused to believe it. Ignis gave me food, a Chickatrice leg if I remember correctly. It wasn’t laced with a drug, and it didn’t kill me after I ate it. Noctis allowed me to tag along with them to Altissia even though I didn’t know how to swim and had horrible sea sickness. Those three showed me so much kindness when I first met them, but I just couldn’t get past Gladiolus’ giant frame. Truth be told, he scared the living daylights out of me. His demeanor reminded me too much of that man. It took me a long time to realize that he wasn’t that man, and he never would be. Prompto assured me that his bark was worse than his bite, and he was right.”

“I spent ten years in darkness with those three boys, and during that time, I grew, I learned, I even trained. Gladiolus proved himself to me time and time again. He worked with me through my handicap, if you could call it that. He did whatever he could to prove to me that not all men were like my daddy and that man; and he was right. For a while now, I had thought about trying to use my voice again, but I didn’t think it would work after thirteen years, much less as well as it is now, but I felt that I couldn’t send them to their potential deaths without telling them just how grateful I am to them, how much they actually mean to me. So, I did, I just didn’t realize how much it would take out of me to do it. Those boys are good people, wonderful people, and I wanted to give them something that they’d never heard before, so I gave them my voice.” She suddenly turned to him and took his rough and calloused hands into her own. 

“Talcott, promise me that you won’t let someone take away who you are. You’re a good kid and I don’t want to see this darkness take away everything that you’ve fought so hard to become.”

He was taken aback by her sudden movement and pleading, but nevertheless, he nodded, and made a silent promise to her. After all, he had her to think about, how she was so down, lower than the dirt, and she still rose above what was handed to her and what she’d been through. He took another good look at the woman before him, how she’d been handed nothing but pain on a silver platter, took that pain, and made it into something beautiful.

**********

Seven days of silence. Seven days of waiting. Seven days of sitting on pins and needles waiting for the boys to return. It wasn’t until that seventh day that Morrigan, Miss Cindy and young Talcott watched the sun rise ever so slowly over the horizon. She heard the cheers, saw various people dancing, some even singing praises to the new King, but she wouldn’t be content until she saw the four of them walk through those gates. The agonizing wait for them began as soon as she sat in the dirt by the now opened gate, her eyes constantly straight ahead at the city of Insomnia. Talcott had situated himself in a makeshift crow’s nest so that he could see further into the horizon, but to her dismay, he remained silent as he watched. She did nothing to disturb him, for she knew that he was just as excited to see them as she was, but it took every bit of her not to call out to him every five minutes.

Minutes ticked on to hours as they waited, and waited, and waited. Finally, Talcott made a commotion. All she heard was something about a car, something about four figures inside said car, but she knew deep within her that these were the boys she had waited for, for so long. It didn’t take long for a massive truck to come over the hill and it took even less time for it to park itself in the nearby garage that Cindy had waiting for them. Morrigan stood by the gate, waiting for those doors to open before she moved. She waited with bated breath as the passenger side opened and she saw a small figure with bright blonde hair, Prompto. The two doors on the back opened to show Gladiolus and Noctis, and finally the driver door opened to show Ignis, his hair now down flat against his skull. She felt the tears well in her eyes as she began running toward them with her arms open wide. She made it to Noctis first, who gently hugged her back. Prompto and Gladiolus came around the back of the truck at the commotion and gathered her up into a giant bear group hug. Once she was down on shaky feet, she looked around for Ignis once more, who had managed to sneak away to talk to Cindy about something. Once he was finished, she watched as he turned to her and held his arms open, and she ran, oh how she ran toward those open arms with her own open. She felt him gather her up and then her world was spinning as he twirled her slowly in his embrace. The battle was over, and they had won.

**********

Over the course of a month, she learned that the Citadel was mostly intact, and rebuilding would begin shortly. The boys had procured a contact with the EXNERIS girls to help rebuild, as well as restore power to a portion of the city surrounding the Citadel. Unfortunately, they couldn’t return home just yet, but they could return to their apartments in Lestallum. She did what she could to help the front, bandage up wounds, serve meals while Ignis was otherwise preoccupied with other efforts. She even told stories to little kids that would find their way to Hammerhead for whatever reason they had.

Once it was time to return back to Lestallum, Cindy had given them more than enough snacks for their trip, Takka had given them a giant pot of chili on the promise that they would return said pot and Cid, who had returned to the garage about three days before they left, gave them nothing but a hard time, in the most loving manner he could manage. While they were in the ruins, they had found blueprints for the Regalia and Cid had promised to make it happen only if King Noctis didn’t take too long doing what he wanted.  
The ride was mostly in silence, as Prompto had fallen asleep rather quickly against the window, Noctis seemed to be pondering over his newfound title and what that meant for him, Gladiolus had taken to his newest book that he’d found in the ruins of the library, and Ignis, who was never much of a chatterbox anyway, kept his eyes forward on the road. She wanted to know what had happened while they were there, but she didn’t dare ask, so she kept mulling over her thoughts in her head while they rode along, admiring the scenery as it was supposed to be admired.

Lestallum had become a social hub of information, much like they had expected. It was like the whole of Eos had gathered into this one tiny town in hopes of seeing the new King in all his glory; and Noctis did what he could to please his new people. She watched him as he took pictures with the locals, chatted a bit, did his own kingly duties, and she knew that he did this even though he was so tired that he couldn’t see straight. He was afraid of the new title as she was, and she couldn’t even imagine what it would be like to suddenly wake up one day to find out that you’re the new king of an entire continent. It didn’t take long for Gladiolus, in all his muscle, to dispel a group of people that had surrounded him and quickly escort him to their apartments.

Once inside her own apartment that she shared with Prompto, he quickly excused himself to take a shower, leaving her to her own devices. She went inside her bedroom and shuffled through the nightstand to find the phone that they’d given her so long ago, charged it for a little while, and out of curiosity, sent a text message to Ignis. She knew that it wouldn’t go through, the phone towers were still down, but she wanted to do something that reminded her of before, before everything got so warped and twisted. But that was no more. She could live her life now, but part of her was afraid. Her fear was short lived however as she heard Prompto turn off the water and quietly knock on her side of the bathroom door.

“You alright?” His voice was calm, a stark contrast to what she felt in her heart. She watched silently as he stepped inside her room, shut the bathroom door, and lightly padded to her bed to stand in front of her. “Talk to me about it, please?” he lightly begged. She’d never seen him like this, and she never wanted to make him feel like this.

“I’m just afraid. Now that all of this is over, where do I go? I have to skills here to be of help, nor do I have anywhere to go. I know it’s stupid to be afraid of this seeing as I knew that it would come eventually, but I can’t help but be.” She never raised her eyes to him, she kept them squarely on his toes. She jumped when he let out of loud laugh.

“You’d think that we’d just leave you behind after everything you’ve done for us?” He lightly made a knock on the top of her head. “Ignis has plans to make a place for you in the Citadel. I don’t know what you’ll be doing, but I assure you that you’ll be taken care of, so stop thinking that you’re alone. You’re not. If it were up to me, I would have had you with us through all that. I know you think you wouldn’t have been much help, but you do more than you realize. You keep us going. While Noct was gone, it was you that kept us all sane even if you didn’t talk. You’ve done more for us that you realize, so stop doubting yourself, okay?” She finally looked up at him to see a bright toothy grin dancing across his features. She couldn’t help but let her fears dissolve as she looked on at the still youthful looking man in front of her.

She slapped her cheeks before she rose to stand, only now realizing that she only stood to his chest in height. “You’re right. I guess it’s because it’s what I’m used to. I keep forgetting that I’m no longer than person anymore, and you guys aren’t the same people from my past.” She explained as she began to walk to her dresser and gather clothes for her own shower. “I’ll be out in a bit and then maybe we can go get some food. I’m sure people would leave us two alone since we’re not special.” She said with a laugh. Prompto returned the laugh and made his way into the living room so she could do what she needed to in peace.

Stepping into the living room, her hair matted to her head and still partially dripping, she was surprised to see Ignis sitting on the couch reading a small book.

“Oh, it seems you’re out.” He spoke as he marked his page lightly and put the book down onto the coffee table. “Prompto tells me that you’re wishing for dinner, as are the rest of us. Would you mind if we came along with you?” he asked, his accented voice calm as always. “If you’re opposed to the idea, I could always cook for you. I have no qualms of doing so. If you didn’t mind accompanying me for supplies that is.”

She took a glance at Prompto, who she could tell was silently begging for another taste of Ignis’ cooking, and she couldn’t help but laugh at him. “It’ll give Noctis a chance to eat in peace as well if you cooked, so, I’ll come with you.” She replied with a smile. “If you don’t mind waiting for a second for me to go dry my hair a bit more.”

“Take all the time you need, my dear.” Ignis spoke with a small smile. 

She turned on her heels and made her way back into her bedroom where she’d thrown the towel onto her bed. She quickly ran it through her hair once more and did a quick brush through and made her way back into the living room. Once there, Prompto essentially kicked the two of them out.

“Alright you love birds, go do your shopping and come back soon. I’m starving!”

Morrigan took a glance at Ignis, who had turned a shade of red that she’d never seen on him before and laughed.

**********

Ingredients of any kind were far harder to find than they both thought it would be. Seeing as it had only been a little over a month since daybreak had finally returned, they expected it, but not to this degree. She watched as Ignis slowly took in the scarce amount that the shops had in stock, his expression filled with disapproval. She also noticed that it was like he didn’t exactly know what he wanted to make, which seemed to agitate him further. She lightly touched his arm, the muscles beneath the thin cloth of his shirt dancing as he balled his hands into fists in frustration.

“Breathe.” She spoke calmly even though her heart was racing. She’d never seen him upset, stressed yes, upset, and especially to this degree, no.

“Ah, you are right.” He turned to her as he spoke and quickly noticed her guarded demeanor. “I do apologize, my love. Never have I ever had to experience this quandary. Even Monica had many things frozen that we would be able to thaw overnight, but I do understand the current state of affairs with supplies. I’m just a little… perturbed, to say the least.” He explained. In all honesty, she understood. She imagined that while he lived inside the walls, foodstuffs was nothing short, and he, nor anyone really, had to worry about going hungry. All they had to do was make an order and it would come to them without a second thought. 

She watched as he carefully picked up a behemoth tenderloin, examined it carefully, and placed it inside the basket. He did the same with griffin breast and kujata marrow, as well as various peppers and other spices. She fought the urge to ask him what he was making since she wanted to be as surprised as the rest of them. He then surprised her by gathers up a bag of rice and seaweed, and as if reading her mind, he turned to her and explained.

“What I have planned with take a few hours to cook, so I surmise that it wouldn’t be a bad idea to have a small snack before it is ready.” A smile crossed his features and she couldn’t help but let a grin color her own features in return.

She couldn’t stop her eyes from wandering to the forgotten corner of the shops where the flower seller had set up his shop. To her dismay, it was no longer there and a pile of rubble, which she assumed was the wooden frame, was in its place. A pain went through her heart as she thought about the flower that Ignis had last bought her, and how long she had kept it, even longer than she should have. She tried her hardest not to let him know that she had noticed it, but she couldn’t get her feet to move, which of course, made him notice.

“What is the matter, my love?” he asked. To her silence, he followed her gaze to the torn asunder frame. “The flower shop?” He placed a small smile upon his features as he spoke once more. “Once everything is back in order, I promise to buy you many more flowers, many more than you can count.”

She couldn’t help but smile brightly at his declaration. She remembered the one that he’d gotten her before, and the fact that she cried when it was well past it’s prime and she had to throw it away because cobwebs had made themselves home on its withered petals. She looked forward to the day that she could have too many flowers to count, just like her mother did all those years ago.

**********

The apartment was silent once they returned. The lobby itself was so silent that it was loud, and if she didn’t know any better, she would think that something horrible had happened. As Ignis gathered up the pots and pans to begin cooking whatever it was he intended, he requested that she round up the others. Once she got to each of their respective apartments, she realized that their silence was normal considering that they’d all fall asleep, Gladiolus on the couch, Noctis had somehow made his way to the floor, who was also the hardest to wake up as well, and Prompto had managed to make his way to his own room but didn’t quite make it to his bed. If the rest of them were this worn out, she could only imagine how Ignis felt, but he never stopped going on their behalf.

In the privacy of the kitchen, where she helped him make the small rice balls that would serve as a snack before the actual meal was complete, she finally managed to ask him exactly how he did it. How he was able to keep himself going far beyond his limits, and far beyond the limit of his health. She noticed that since their return, Ignis’ cheekbones stuck out just a bit farther and light, but still noticeable, dark circles had made themselves home underneath his eyes.

“Truth be told, my love, I am far more fatigued than I let myself show. Would I love to be able to just put my feet up and relax for a spell? Yes, I would, but the fact of the matter is I’ve never been given that choice. Since I had been given the responsibility of aiding Noctis, since he was a child mind you, I’ve taken it upon myself to be the first to rise, the last to sleep and take care of everything else in between. Now, it’s not that I mind doing these things as I’ve found security in this schedule, so I do not find it worth my while to complain about how things are.” Ignis explained, the hint of authority in his tone. Morrigan started to take the rice ball from his hands, force him to sit and just stop, but he quickly realized the way that her hands had moved.

“Dearest, I assure you that I will be quite alright to serve tonight. If you wish to be of help, promise me that you’ll keep doing what you’re doing.” A smile crossed his lips as his eyes light up as he spoke.

“And what would that be?” She couldn’t help but ask. He let out a low chuckle.

“Stay by my side, through it all, thick and thin.” She felt as his hands, as sticky as they were with rice, lightly held onto hers like they were a lifeline. “Be my strength when I can’t bear my own weight.” Silence pervaded the two of them as she was taken back into the world that she had imagined back at the campfire before they left for their final battle. 

“Ever at your side.” She replied simply as she could do nothing but smile at him. She knew that she couldn’t do much, but she knew that she could do her hardest to make things just a little bit easier for him, and if that meant helping him mound rice into small balls, then so be it.

As they finished up the last of the rice balls, she watched carefully as he washed his hands, got them all nice and clean, and looking down at her own hands, still wet and covered with stray grains of rice, an idea struck her. She knew that it would probably make him upset, but she just had to do something silly, even if all it did was make him crack a smile. She waited patiently until he was all done when she called out to him. Like she’d hoped, he turned his whole frame to face her, and she took both her hands and rubbed them against his cheeks, even though they were still dirty with rice and water. The expression on his face was nothing short of appalled and confusion. But in the end, he couldn’t help but laugh, and not just any laugh, it was a full laugh, one that left tears in the corner of his eyes.

“Thank you, my love. That was quite refreshing.” He explained as he gently wiped the wetness from his eyes. “I assume that I’ve been a bit too stiff recently, so thank you very much for reminding me to stop and smell the roses for a moment.” He was still stifling his chuckles as he delicately placed each rice ball onto a plate and began to carry it into the living room with her hot on his heels.

“Noct, you should know by now that I know when you’re lying.” Prompto expressed as he held up a handful of cards to his lips. “I really don’t think that’s a seven you got hiding there.” She could tell that he was grinning as he spoke, his tone light, but playfully accusatory. 

“How did you know?” Noctis replied as his eyes went wide. Prompto held out his hand, asking for the card in question.

“Because you just told me.” He laughed as he grasped the card to reveal a four. After a small chortle from both him and Gladiolus, he explained further. “Your ears turn red when you’re lying.” That was when Gladiolus lost it entirely. He slammed the cards down in a fit of belly laughter and banged his fist upon the feeble wooden table as he did so.

“Sorry to interrupt your game, but we made a snack before dinner is ready.” Morrigan explained as she took the place that Ignis held and gently sat it down on the table.

“My ears really don’t turn red, do they?” Noctis asked quietly as he slowly grasped one of the smaller rice balls.

“Unfortunately, they do. They always have.” Ignis replied as he sat himself on the couch and took his own ball. “Why do you think you always got into so much trouble as a child? I remember one time in particular that you’d made your way into the gardens while you were supposed to be studying. Not only did you lie to your father about your whereabouts, you were so dirty that I had to run your clothes through the wash thrice to just make them presentable once more.” He finished as he smiled at the memory.

Morrigan couldn’t help but wonder what it was like to grow up in a place like Insomnia. Not only was it a place of dreams, for her anyway, it was a place that one could genuinely call home, a place that one would want to return to. She’d never truly had a place like that after her mother died, and after her sister, she only believed that it would always just be that, a fleeting dream, and unobtainable dream. Something that wasn’t meant for someone like her. She knew that in due time, she would have a place like that, a place to truly call home. She just had to be patient.

The boys finished their game of Cheat quickly, mainly due to the fact that Ignis suddenly brought the stew that the two of them had started earlier out to the table. Once everyone had their fill, and Gladiolus taking a large bowl home for tomorrow, and everything was cleaned up, Prompto sat himself in a nearby chair that had been brought in by Holly while they were gone and Ignis and herself situated themselves on the couch. They were all content with the silence as the television droned on about how the new King had been alive the whole time and that he had returned. It wasn’t until Prompto suddenly silenced the TV did Morrigan look toward him. He placed a finger to his lips and pointed at Ignis’ form, to which her gaze followed.

“I’ll get a blanket. He deserves the rest.” Prompto whispered as he rose to stand, stretching as he stood tall. 

She couldn’t help but look on at Ignis’ sleeping form. His right arm was draped over his stomach, his head down and slightly to the left, as if he was inadvertently using her shoulder as a pillow. She carefully pulled his glasses from his eyes and sat them on the coffee table; and Prompto returned with a blanket at the same time.

“Help me lay him straight. That can’t be too comfortable on him.” She lightly whispered, barely audible to anyone that wasn’t really listening. She watched as Prompto grasped his legs and as he moved to lift them fully onto the couch, she lowered his head down to the armrest. “I’ve got a spare pillow in my room if you don’t mind going to go grab it. I’ll cover him up.” She watched as the blond disappeared down the hall and turned back to the sleeping man before her once more. She gingerly caressed his cheek, a touch that would tickle him if he weren’t so far into his sleep; she removed strands of hair from his forehead, and gently left a small peck on his now bare forehead. She then unfolded the blanket and draped it over him and lightly tucked in where his sides were and once Prompto returned with her pillow, lightly lifted his head to rest it upon said pillow.

“I’ll see you in the morning. Thanks again for dinner.” The youthful man said, a smile dancing across his features.

“Don’t thank me. I just shaped the rice. Ignis did all the cooking.” She replied with a returning smile. “Hey, is the stove light still on?” she asked without turning to look herself. Something about seeing Ignis like this made it impossible to turn away.

“Yeah. Leave it on?” Prompto asked and she nodded in return. “Alright. Goodnight. Don’t stay up too late.” He said and made his exit to his own bedroom.

Morrigan pulled the blanket up further up his chest, just in case he got cold, stroked his hair one last time before she finally told him goodnight, and made her own way into her own bedroom and finally fell into a much needed and restful slumber.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Check my blog post for more information as to what happened. It's the one titled 'Where Have I Been?' https://www.tumblr.com/blog/melancholy-ruse


	8. Reverence

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So I'm just gonna set deadlines for myself now XD. I hope you enjoy this chapter!

_They say that time heals all wounds, but they didn’t mention anything about the scars that are left in return. However, one can either dwell on the thing that gave them those scars or learn to accept that they are a part of the greater battle; to live a life worth living._

**********

Over the course of seven years, the Citadel, as well as a good portion of the outlying city, had been mostly restored. The EXNERIS girls, as capable as they were, did everything that they could to make sure that the Citadel itself was back in running order before anyone else stepped in to begin the rebuilding. However, that didn’t mean that it was suitable for habitation until the power was fully restored and it mostly rebuilt. With many thanks to the various hunters that felt a great need to help, seeing as how their new king had helped them so much in the past, and the Glaives that had remained, it didn’t take too long for the handful of them to complete the Citadels rebuilding and rewiring for anything that the living subjects would need.

Morrigan could easily recall watching as many a machine drove through the streets, sweeping up any debris, taking care of any bodies; which thankfully, there weren’t many seeing as everyone had evacuated at the first sign of trouble. It took longer than she realized for things to get back into working order, but she dutifully remained inside the city walls with her friends, her family, to make sure that their home would be built the way that they remembered. If she couldn’t give them anything in return for everything that they had done for her, she would at least make sure that their home was how the remembered it being.

By the end of those seven long years, only a handful of locations were unsuitable for human habitation, and that was mainly a place that was, for a lack of better term, called the Slums, and the power generator for the shield that put the barrier over the city when King Regis was still alive. Seeing as the Slums would be a constant effort, and many civilians took it upon themselves to clean it up and rebuild the handful of homes that were destroyed there, with the help of a handful of Glaives as well, all the time was mainly focused on the power generator. No one could figure out exactly how it worked; not even Ignis, who always seemed to know how to fix anything. It wasn’t until late into their probing of the machine that they realized that it was powered by the Crystal and not any man-made machine; and since the Crystal was no longer needed, it had entered a state of dormancy until it was called upon once more. Armed with this knowledge, they left it alone, but kept it heavily guarded until a time arose for its use once more.

Just like Prompto had promised her, she had a home within the Citadels walls. Though it took her quite a while to get used to the luxurious lifestyle, a stable roof over her head, running water, warmth when she was cold, and air when she was too hot, Morrigan couldn’t help but be thankful, grateful even more, to her friends. She even called over Ignis when the first rainstorm of the summer had arrived because she was petrified of the thunder booming in the distance. Not only did they make promises to her, they fulfilled those promises with nothing but a smile planted on their lips. She often found herself wondering where she would be without them in her life, but seeing as she knew the outcome of how her life would have turned out without them, she tried not to dwell on it, however, it was constantly in the back of her mind.

Ignis, unbeknownst to her, had began research into her lineage, and did everything he could, in his spare time, to find out who her family was that still resided in Tenebrae. It didn’t take him long to learn more about who her mother was, but the results of exactly who her remaining living family were, shocked him greatly. He kept this newfound information to himself until it could be confirmed, and with everything else that needed to be addressed, and since the computers weren’t completely back up and running, he knew that it would take quite a while before the results were within his reach.

Gladiolus had taken on the duty of training the newest Glaives, as well as the ones that pledged their loyalty to King Noctis while he was away inside the crystal. Once the cell towers were back up and running, there were many a time that either he or Cor would call upon Morrigan, frequently at the wee hours of the morning, for training, proper training that she could only get within a proper training program set up inside the Citadels training grounds. She noticed that it wasn’t too out of the ordinary to see Prompto and Ignis there as well, still honing their own skills, never letting themselves get rusty in case they were called upon once more; and they all secretly hoped that they wouldn’t need to be.

Noctis had taken his role as King quite seriously, a stark contrast to who he was when she first met him. There was no public coronation, but documents were to be signed, treaties to look over before agreeing or disagreeing with them, war room talk of how the various wildlife had been since the return of daybreak, and many more things that seemed to make his head spin. She could tell that, just by a single glance, he was bewildered and taken quite aback by the sudden onslaught of responsibility, however, he did it all with a welcoming smile on his face. When it was time for some of the the civilians to return to their lives as they were, he did nothing short of bending over backwards to make sure that they were all welcome back to their homes. As the years passed and more homes and apartments were rebuilt, thus making more room for new residents, he would always welcome them with open arms each day as they arrived at the city gates. He worked tirelessly to make sure that it was the same city that his father had ruled over so long ago.

Prompto himself had taken over the technical aspect of running the Citadel. Anything to do with radars and computers, he was the guy you called. It didn’t take him long to find flaws within the outdated technology and completely reinvent them for the modern world, and it was his job to keep everything technical running as smoothly as possible. She recalled one instance when he couldn’t quite get the coding correct for a new program. He would sit at the coffee table, or on the couch and just pull at his hair, frustration taking over completely. She made him a drink and went over the coding with him, even though she knew that she wouldn’t be much help. By late into the night, or early in the morning, he’d figured out where he’d went wrong; a single line was worded backwards, making the program simply ineffective. He left that night as soon as he figured out how to fix it and came back within an hours time to thank her. She suggested that he take a break for a little while, even for just a day, but before she could even finish her suggestion, he’d fallen asleep on the couch, his mouth agape and snoring lightly.

Time had passed by in the blink of an eye, and they all knew that there wasn’t anything they could do to stop it. That was the funny thing about time, it never stopped for anyone, no matter how hard they wished it would. The days seemed endless as they worked, always with a pleasant demeanor and never giving up. She knew how much this city meant to them, and if she had to voice herself honestly, being part of the rebuilding efforts first hand, Insomnia had become her home as well.

One day, a day unlike the many before it, a messenger knocked lightly on her door. He was a stout man, but still strong where he needed to be. Short cropped hair and the usual black uniform of the Citadel messengers. As confused as she was once she opened the door, she was more further once she read the message he had delivered.

_Morrigan Donahue,  
By official degree of King Noctis, he, as well as his personal guards, have requested your company within the throne room. This is a formal event, so dress accordingly._

She couldn’t help but stare blankly at the page. If it weren’t for Ignis’ time with her, she wouldn’t have been able to read the words written on the page, but that didn’t stop her from being completely perplexed as to what they had planned. Still, she had no formal wear, and she knew she would need help. She grasped her phone tentatively, unsure of how to go about asking someone as regal as Ignis for help with this matter. He answered on the second ring.

“Good morning dearest.” His voice echoed slightly, which confused her as to his location. Any other time he would call her, or she him, she could mainly hear others in the background; some giving orders, and some complying to said orders. “I surmise you’ve received word from Bedlam.”

“Yeah, I did, but what is it about? And why do I have to dress for-mal-ly?” she asked as she sounded out the word, not completely sure if she’d even said it right. She heard him chuckle on the other end, a sound that sent her stomach into a frenzy.

“Now what would a surprise be if I told you?” he replied, his voice hinting a smile. “Round up your things for an outing and I will send someone to assist you.”

“You always know when I need help Ignis. How do you always know?”

“It’s my duty to know the needs of those I care for, and I care for you a great deal, my love. However, I must return to my duties here, but I assure you that Miss Cecilia will be there shortly.” There was a pause before he returned to the phone, as if he were giving out an order. “I look forward to seeing you, my dear.”

“I’ll see you soon. Be careful, for me.” She smiled as she replied, the sound of his voice instantly calming her.

“Only for you, my dear.” He replied and the line went silent.

She had met Miss Cecilia quite a few times. She was a short older woman, probably in her late sixties, with her greying hair always up in a bun. She appeared frail, but gods have mercy if you made her angry. When she first arrived inside the walls, Miss Cecilia had taken a quick liking to her. She always said that she reminded her of her daughter, the one that didn’t make it out of the city in time, though she never went into detail as to why. Morrigan didn’t ask, out of fear of asking too much of the older lady that had been so kind to her. 

As she pondered over what this event could be, a light rasp sounded from her door. Knowing full well who is was, and seeing as the Citadel was one of the safest buildings around, she had developed an open door policy. She knew that the guards wouldn’t let anyone inside that wasn’t authorized, so she knew that whoever knocked on her door was as harmless as they could be. The door opened slightly, and she couldn’t help but notice the older woman smiling as she peeked her head through.

“Is it alright if I enter, dearie?” her frail voice called from the doorframe. As Morrigan nodded in response, she watched as she stepped fully into the room, her black dress dancing at her ankles as she took her steps forward. Morrigan put her phone into her back pocket and slid on her boots, a new pair that Ignis had bought her, much to her own protesting, and walked with the woman out into the corridor.

“Let me guess, you can’t tell me anything either?” the red head asked as they walked, their steps silent on the carpeted floor.

“You’d be right, dearie. I can tell you that formal wear mainly means a dress of some kind, and appropriate footwear, but I don’t know how you feel about floor length dresses. If you like, we could find something more business-like, a knee length skirt and matching blouse if you like.” The older woman explained as she led her down various hallways and through many doors. “That boy of yours mentioned that you don’t like spending money, so he said that I should take you to the coat room. It’s where all the important people keep all their fancy clothes, but seeing as most of those important people aren’t with us any longer, it wouldn’t hurt to find something of your liking there. I assure that they’ve all been cleaned, so you don’t have to worry about dirt riding in unsavory places.” She explained with a chuckle, like she knew just how it felt to have dirt in unsavory places.

Silence surrounded the two of them as they made their way to this infamous coat room. Once they arrived, she expected something small, much like a closet; what she didn’t expect was a full room, about the size of her apartment, wall to wall with various clothes in various colors. On the right were the men’s clothes, organized by style, color and size, to the right were the women’s organized in the same manner and the back wall itself housed shoes of many styles, colors, brands, and size. Morrigan couldn’t help but look on in disbelief as she took in the sights around her.

“Ankle length dresses are fine Miss Cecilia, much like the one you’re wearing now.” Morrigan explained, her voice low as she was distracted by the sheer amount of clothing that she’d never dreamed she’d see in this lifetime. She barely heard the older woman giggle as she took a tentative step forward to gaze upon everything.

It didn’t take her long to find a dress, it’s fabric as close to silk as it could get without actually being the same material, to wear. It was simple in design, short sleeved and a square neckline, it’s color something between the shades of midnight blue and a royal purple. Miss Cecilia nodded in approval as she held the dress to her small frame and guided her to a small room that she hadn’t noticed, tucked away into a corner nearly forgotten by all the clothes almost blocking it. 

“We’ll pick out shoes next, dearie, and after that, we’ll do something about that mane of yours.” She heard Miss Cecilia call through the door, a smile in her voice.

“Miss Cecilia, it looks good, but I can’t get the zipper. Would you mind helping me for a second?” she called from the door as she cracked it slightly. The older woman motioned for her to come to her, and she did so, and turned her back to the woman and lifted her hair. Over the course of seven years, without Ignis fully able to dedicate time to trimming it, it had gotten rather long, too long for her liking. Once the dress was zipped, she took another look into the nearby mirror, completely disbelieving it was really her who she saw in the reflection.

“You look stunning, dearie.” She barely heard Miss Cecilia speak as the many thoughts raced through her head. It wasn’t until she felt the woman place a hand on her shoulder, did she finally snap out of her trance. “Alright, shoes then. I think you should go with a simple black pair of shoes, either flats or ones with a heel, it’s your preference.” She suggested. 

So, they looked on at the shoes, and looked for what felt like hours until they found something suitable for the dress and the questionable upcoming event. She was given subtle hints about the event while they browsed, as Miss Cecilia would often comment that a certain pair of shoes wouldn’t be suitable for walking, or dancing as she once let slip and covered her mouth instantly. Armed with that information, Morrigan chose a plain pair of black flats, something that wouldn’t draw too much attention to her.

“Do they feel alright? You’ve got to make sure they feel good or you’ll be aching within minutes.” She mentioned with a chuckle, as if she knew from experience. She moved her ankles in a circle, as if stretching the shoe to make it fit better. She knew that either way, her feet would be hurting since the flats didn’t offer as much cushion as her boots, but she felt that these would be acceptable for whatever was planned. 

If she had time to stop and think about this upcoming event, she would be terrified. Not only did she not like the idea of being the center of attention, which was something that she wasn’t even sure about at all, she didn’t like the fact that she had been invited to a formal event, even less so about knowing so little about it. However, she did have to give credit to the boys, for they always knew when everything was getting to be just too much for her. It was frequent, back in the time of darkness, for Prompto or Ignis to excuse the two of them so that she could just go somewhere away from people and recharge. Many a time did she look to the two of them for guidance, an escape, so to speak, when too many people got around her suddenly. 

She followed Miss Cecilia into another room within the walls, one that she didn’t even think it would have. It appeared to be a salon where one could get a haircut, or even their nails done if they so wished. She assumed it was because if royalty were to step one foot out of the Citadel, civilians would be all over them like a hungry wolf to fresh meat. Having ones own personal solon was probably for the best, seeing as she didn’t want to be surrounded by a bunch of strangers longer than she needed to; and she wasn’t entirely sure as to who would be present at this event as well. She chose a quick style, a short bob that would be longer in the front than it was in the back. Much to her relief, the weight off her head from the amount of hair that Renaldo, the barber, had cut off, made everything easier for her to manage. After brushing off the stray remnants, he complimented her on a job well done since he knew, unbeknownst to her, that the only people that had ever touched her hair was her mother, herself that once, and Ignis.

“Alright dearie, are we ready to head to the Throne Room?” Miss Cecilia asked once she rose from the swivel chair.

“Throne Room? Why are we going there? That doesn’t seem like a good place for a party.” Morrigan replied, confusion in her voice.

“Well, you’d be surprised, little one. But, this isn’t the type of party you’re thinking about; I assure you that. This is something that the boys cooked up, just for you.” She silenced herself for a moment before she spoke once more. “I’m afraid that I’ve said too much, but don’t let the boys know that.” She explained with a small chuckle.

**********

The Throne Room was silent, and almost dark, as they entered. When Morrigan stopped, for her fear of the dark, Miss Cecilia was there to place a protective, but gentle, hand upon her back to guide her forward. That was when she heard it as well, the sound of ebony and ivory keys softly hitting against wood, the melodious tone they made slowly growing in volume. It seemed haunting, but the tone made her feel more calm than afraid. The lights slowly got brighter as the song was tapped out, quickly showing Ignis sitting at the beautiful grand piano situated near the back, closest to the throne itself, of the room. As if on a musical cue, Prompto appeared from her left and Gladiolus from her right, the two of them dressed in their Kingsguard uniform and their arms stretched out to her. She took both their hands respectfully, and they led her slowly, to the tempo of the beautiful music that Ignis was creating, to the steps that led to the throne. It was only then that she noticed Noctis sitting upon his throne, in all his full glory, dressed fully in his kingly garb, a warm smile on his features.

The song reached its final note, like a crystal bell, and Ignis rose to full height and made his was calmly over to her and took her arm from Gladiolus, who stepped off slowly to the side. Prompto gave her hand a light squeeze and joined the much taller man to the side as the two of them turned to face the new King Noctis.

“Thank you for coming Morrigan.” He began, his voice official and his tone final. Though he was using his professional persona, she could still see the man that she knew so well behind his demeanor. “Though the time I had with you was short, you were nothing less than an exemplary person while I was away. You did what you were called to do, what you had to do, even though you had your own fears and reservations.” He turned to the boys at her left, who stepped forward to stand beside her, smiles of their own gracing their features.

“Prompto,” The blond gunman straightened to stand as tall as he could. “Thank you for doing everything you could do, everything in your power, to make sure that thing went smoothly while we set up everything to be rebuilt. If it weren’t for you, I highly doubt we would have all the technical systems up and running as we do now.” He cleared his throat lightly and turned his gaze to the much taller man beside her.

“Gladio, the advancements you’ve made to the Glaive training program are coming along smoothly, and without your input, much like your fathers, I doubt we would be ready for anything that should come our way. I know that things aren’t exactly where you’d like, but I can assure you that I’ve put in as much time as you have to make sure that it gets to where you want it.”

“Ignis,” She felt him gently squeeze her hand in response to his name, something she realized that he only did when he was afraid of someone’s words to him. “Since I was a child, you’ve taken time out of not only your day, but your life as well, to make sure that I was taken care of while my father took care of his own kingly duties. Though I didn’t understand it then, I do now, and I will be forever grateful for what you’ve done for me over the years.” His hand gripped her tighter as he continued to speak.   
“I don’t know what I did to deserve you three in my life. I certainly wouldn’t be here now if it weren’t for you guys.” His ocean blues finally settled on her, and despite their intensity, she felt calm. “Morrigan, though we didn’t get the chance to know each other before I went into the Crystal, I want to thank you personally for taking care of these three gentlemen before me. You’ve been a great asset to our group, and for that, I would like to officially initiate you into being one of my personal guards.” 

She felt her face turn red, the heat radiating off her like she were in a sauna. She bowed low, to hide her face, but she returned upright as soon as she composed herself, her right arm thrown over her heart as she’d seen Ignis do many a time before. “Thank you, Majesty. It would be a great honor.” Her voice echoed against the marble walls, her features alight with pride. 

Time stood still as the four of them watched Noctis rise from his throne and descend the stairs, only to stop right before her, look toward Ignis, who nodded in reply and let go of her hand. She felt, more than saw, the three men at her side step away as he did something that she wasn’t expecting at all. He bowed, low, his demeanor completely submissive, but still friendly toward her. Once he rose to full height, he took her hands in his own, calloused as they were, and placed a small velvet box into her palm.

“This symbol represents my personal guards, and I, for one, can say that I am thankful to have you with us, all of us.” 

The small box in the middle of her hand felt like a weight, heavier than it should have been. Sensing this, Noctis gave her a small but toothy grin as he took it, flipped it open to reveal a small ring, a band similar to a wedding band that men wear, but still feminine in its own way. Embossed on its surface was the Lucis family crest and written on the inside were the words _Alis Propriis Volat_. Though she didn’t understand what the words meant, she felt that the men before her spent a lot of time choosing them to describe who she was.

“It means ‘She flies with her own wings’.” Ignis’ voice rang out through the silence, his tone prideful. “Through the many hardships you’ve had in your life, you’ve risen above them and become the beautiful woman standing here today.” He continued, a smile curving at the corners of his lips.

“We think that it suits you because you didn’t let what happened to you in the past be part of your future. Even though it took you a while to trust us, you still gave us a chance, which says a lot considering who you were when we first met.” Prompto explained, a smile locked onto his features as well.

She took a glance to Gladiolus, who remained silent with a warm smile on his features, but still radiated an aura of pride and acceptance. Noctis spoke once more before she could gather her thoughts.

“Morrigan, through the years, I’ve watched as you did everything you could to make sure this city was built the way that we remembered, even though you had no idea what it looked like before. You did everything that was asked of you without question and without hesitation. You stayed up late to make sure everything ran smoothly, and you awoke early to prepare everyone for the day ahead. Your selfless acts here, and the actions that you took while I was away, are what made this city was it is, what it was before. Bearing total honesty, I have no way to describe the thankfulness I have toward you; that we all have toward you.”

“The person that you were when we first met is nothing compared to the person you are now. You’ve grown from an unsure and scared child, to a capable and wonderful person. I’m glad that I was there to see that transformation of yours.” Gladiolus finally spoke, his words light through his own prideful grin.

She felt the warmth of tears well up in her eyes, a smile tugging at the corners of her lips. Through her blurry vision, she opened her arms wide and motioned with a twist of her wrists for the guys to come to her. Obeying her motions, she wrapped her arms tightly around the four of them, the safety and love that they all had for her seeming to seep into the pores of her skin. She couldn’t help but feel like she her heart were truly flying, cloud nine if one will.

Over the course of three hours, the five of them danced to music that either Ignis made with the piano or something that any of the had called for, dined on food that was too good to actually eat, mostly made by Ignis, but some made by the head chef; who was trained by Ignis. They spoke of things they did before they met her, which mostly put her into a fit of laughter, especially when Prompto started talking about his high school life with the crown prince being his best friend. She knew that she couldn’t be happier being anywhere else but with these boys, these wonderful boys that grew into even more wonderful men. It felt like her heart would burst out of her chest knowing full well that everything they had done today was just for her.

**********

Days turned into months, and Morrigan watched many people come and go from the halls of the Citadel. In a time before she’d come to know everything she knew now, she would be just like those people, wandering through life not knowing exactly what it was she was supposed to be doing. She watched as young mothers walked within the walls, holding their small children to their waists, not expecting much, but at least a small amount of grain to keep the hunger pains at bay, at least for their young children. Young men, no older than eighteen, waltzed in, looking for their place in the Kingsglaive retinue, but unbeknownst to them, they had to first pass a test that both the Marshall Cor and Gladiolus had devised as a way to weed out the weak. Many failed, and a handful of the ones that passed walked out within a weeks time.

That was how she met a spry boy by the name of Millian. He wasn’t too bright, nor was he the strongest she’d even seen; he couldn’t even beat her at a game she played frequently with the new recruits. Her game, as she called it, was a waiting game. Wait to attack, wait for an opening, wait to do anything. He couldn’t wrap his head around the fact that he had to stop, and he would charge endlessly, wearing himself down, while she stood and waited for him to tire himself out, before she struck him down. Much laughter could be heard as she took him down many a time effortlessly, always telling him the same thing; to just wait; that sometimes the best course of action is to do nothing at all. However, he could never get this through his head.

It wasn’t until one night when she was sitting alone in her apartment, winding down from the days events, that she heard a light knock on her door. Upon opening it, she saw no one, nor was she aware of the fact that anyone had been there since the carpeted rug before her door was completely immaculate. She shut the door lightly, her nerves slightly on edge as she padded softly into the kitchen to warm the kettle that Ignis had bought her for tea. Just as the kettle began to yell, another knock sounded at her door, this time much louder than before. She quickly turned off the stove and went to open the door, the knocking seemingly rattling her door, that it stopped as suddenly as it began. She pulled out her phone and quickly called Prompto, who she knew was done for the day, to come and sit with her for a while, at least until she went to bed. Once arriving, Prompto sent her a message to let her know that he was outside and for her to open the door to let him inside. Inwardly, she was thankful that it didn’t take him long to arrive, and explaining the situation to him, he understood why she was so disturbed by the events that had happened.

“Is there anyone besides us that knows your apartment number?” he asked as he tore open a bag of chips to share with her.

“Not that I know of. The only people that would know, that should know, are you guys and the guys that run the training program, but that information is private and I know they wouldn’t just give it out without probable cause.” She explained as she bit into a rather salty chip and made a face at it. She looked at Prompto, who seemed to be thinking as he took small nibbles at the chip he had grabbed.

“Anyone you’ve upset recently? Have you told Iggy?” he asked as he continued to ponder the situation more. He knew about the boy that she’d trained, and how she beat him every time, but certainly this couldn’t be related. It was all in good fun, and in training for what he was supposed to be doing correctly, right?

“Besides Millian, no. He seems too hard headed to do this. He’s a little lazy and brash, but I don’t think he would seek out my apartment to harass me. I don’t think he has that in him honestly. And no, I haven’t told Ignis. He has too much going on as it is and I don’t want to bother him with something trivial.” She explained as she finished her chip and took another. 

Another knock sounded at the door, demanding and hard, and she took a quick look at Prompto, who quietly sat the chip bag down on the table and rose to stand, walking to the door as quietly as he had been trained to do. She watched as he opened the door, just slightly enough to barely seen the outside, and shut it back lightly. He turned to her and shrugged, his expression confused and lost.

“Nothing.” He proclaimed as he walked slowly back to the couch. Before he could even get close, another knock sounded, the door seeming to bend inward with the force that was put behind it. “Alright, that’s it, I’m calling Ignis. He’ll know what to do.”

She watched as he pulled out his phone quickly, tapped a few buttons, and held it to his ear. She heard him make normal conversation fillers and explain the situation in the detail that he’d just witnessed. She held her breath as another knock sounded, lighter this time, like the person responsible was sorry. Prompto walked to the door and soundlessly opened it for both of them to see an empty hallway. Nothing was amiss, the decorative rug that lined the middle of the hallway was completely undisturbed, nor was there any sign on the rug at her door that anyone had stepped on it except Prompto.

That was when they both heard a crash from her bedroom. Without thinking, they both ran into her room, Prompto two steps behind her as he had shut and locked the door before leaving it. A light breeze danced inside the room, forcing her to remember that she had opened her window once she had taken her shower. A small table that housed the spiral bound notebook that Ignis had gotten her in Tenebrae all those years ago and a small flower vase filled with flowers that he’d also gotten her had fallen over, the notebook almost ruined by the water from the vase that was shattered on the floor. The screen to the window was cut, like someone had taken a small blade to it, and turned inward. Someone was inside her home, and she knew that they knew that she knew.

“Prom, give me the phone.” She said lightly but forcefully. Without question, he placed the device into her hand, and she placed it to her ear. “Ignis, I don’t know if you can leave your work right now, and if you can’t, that’s fine. But we’re going to need some help here. If you can't leave, I’ll call Gladiolus to see if he can do anything. If anything, hopefully his brute look will scare anyone away.”

“Dear, are you alright? Are you hurt?” Ignis’ voice sounded on the other end, his tone doused with worry and concern.

“I’m fine. I just don’t know what to think right now. It went from knocking to the table in my room knocked over and my screen cut open.” She explained as she surveyed the room quickly. Nothing was out of place except for the table; even her bathroom door was still closed from when she closed it herself.

“I’ll round up Gladio. Do you wish to alert the Marshall as well?” the accented voice on the other end calming her nerves instantly.

“No. Gladiolus should do the trick. I’ll let you go. You’re working. Tell him to just text one of us when he’s outside.” She replied as her eyes fell on the notebook lying on the floor. She realized something was off about it. When she had stopped using it, she had locked it with a small key that she hid inside a small box that she kept inside her nightstand. No one knew of this, not even Ignis who had gifted her the book.

Her and Ignis said their goodbyes and she handed the phone back to Prompto, and she made her way to the nightstand by her bed, opened the drawer to find the box that housed the key gone. She looked at Prompto and pointed at the notebook. She could tell that he was beginning to understand what she was thinking. She gingerly picked up the notebook as he set the table back up on its legs and walked into the bathroom to get a towel for the water that had puddled on the floor. She skimmed through the pages she had written, many scribbles as she couldn’t find the right words back then, until she found something that wasn’t even remotely something similar to what she would say, much less in her handwriting.

_Think you’re too good for me, huh?_

She held the page out to the younger man as he returned with the towel. Upon seeing the words, he quickly dropped it, the spill all but forgotten, and took the book in his hands to skim over the words carefully. He skimmed further into the pages as she quietly cleaned up the spill, his eyes wide at his findings.

“Morrigan, did you take this with you anywhere and leave it alone?” he asked, his tone afraid. She didn’t ask for she didn’t want to know what he had found. She recalled to him a time when she took it to a meeting of the training core to take notes, and that after the meeting was over, she left it alone on the chair while she went to the line to plate the various finger foods that had been brought specifically for the meeting. “You don’t want to know, but it’s not nice.” Prompto explained as she slammed the book closed after marking the pages that he’d found.

They made their way back into the living room, only to be surprised that the front door was now standing wide open. Prompto assured that he’d locked it before he followed her, and she believed him, which meant that someone knew how to pick a lock, even one as intricate as the ones that were on the apartment doors. They saw Gladiolus making his way to her apartment, and before he rose his head, Prompto called out to him from the open doorway, waving the notebook all the while. Morrigan took the book from his hands and quickly shoved it toward Gladiolus, demanding him to read the pages that the blond had marked. It was only then that she was curious as to what was written, so she made her way to stand beside the giant of a man and read the words that were scribbled inside.

_Nothing but a whore._   
_Slept your way up there didn’t you?_   
_Morrigan the Red, hair like fire, hips like thorns, neck wide open. What I wouldn’t do to have just a piece of that._   
_She looks like cinnamon, but I bet she taste like sugar. Should I cut her open to find out_

She stepped away before she felt more nauseated than she already was. She still had no clue who would be harassing her like they were, but she felt the need to get to the bottom of it, and once they found out who it was, she would have quite a few words with them, no matter what anyone else said. 

Gladiolus surveyed her bedroom for any signs of an intruder, and besides the table that had been knocked over and the screen cut open, nothing was out of the ordinary, which perplexed him. Whoever it was knew exactly what they were doing; they knew how to cover their tracks. He found no finger prints, not shoe prints, nothing that would give them any idea as to who this person was. But whoever it was most certainly knew that Gladiolus was with her as activity had died down. He fixed the screen to her window and shut it, locking it with a force that she’d only seen a few times before and made his way back into the living room.

“Whoever it is won’t get away with it.” He simply said.

“I will speak to them once we find out. I want to know why, and by the will of the gods, I will find out.” Morrigan spoke, not really to anyone, but her tone told the two men that she knew what she had planned, and there wasn’t anything them or anyone else could do to stop her.

Days passed as the activity surrounding her seemed to die down. She didn’t know if it was because the guys, King Noctis included, had taken turns scouting out her apartment, or if whoever was doing it was afraid of the repercussions of their actions, but she knew that she needed to get to the bottom of it. Finally, it happened. The person, a boy, finally took a wrong step as he was beating on her door and couldn’t get away in time for Ignis to get to it. She watched as he, calm and tactful even at this moment, drug in the defeated form of a boy, slouched over Ignis’ shoulder like a sack of grain.

“New friend?” she asked as she crossed her arms and put a smile on her lips and a light in her eyes. Ignis threw the boy down to the floor, who cowered away from the two of them in the far corner of the room.

“This, my dear, seems to be the one harassing you.” He replied, crossing his own arms over his chest. “Shall I inform the others?” he asked as he continued to stare down the boy before him.

“In just a minute. I’ve got a few things to say to him.” She bent down to tear the black bandana from his face, exposing his features. He was a young kid, no older than twenty,   
maybe twenty-one, and a thick scar running from above his upper lip down to his jawbone on the right side. Faint black stubble had begun to prick its way through his skin, and the strings of the bandana kept getting caught as she yanked it down. “Ignis, if you don’t mind, set on some coffee for us. I’ll yell if I need help.” She spoke without turning toward the tactician.

She heard Ignis leave the room, him knowing that she was fully capable of handling the situation before her. Once she heard the sounds of the kettle being filled, she squatted down to make herself eye level with the boy. “Who are you?” she asked, her voice firm. The boy was silent as he looked on her with fear in his eyes. “Who. Are. You.” She said again, more forcefully, her hands balled into fists so tightly that her nails were cutting into the skin on her palms.

“I not anyone ma’am. This was all his idea.” The boy replied, his voice quaking with fear as he spoke. He was visibly shaking as he sat in the corner with his knees drawn up to his chest.

“Who thought it would be a good idea to harass someone like me?” she asked, though by now she had already figured out the answer. She’d seen this boy before, quite a few times in fact. He was one of Millian’s friends, or lackeys as she called them. She chuckled as she made the connection, a smirk coming across her lips. “Bring him to me.”

“I can’t do that. He’d kill me if he knew I got caught.” The fear that was still dripping from his tone only made her chuckle.

“And what makes you think I won’t?” His brown eyes went wide as he knew how serious she was. “I will not ask you again to bring him to me.” The boy nodded, she rose to stand and tossed her phone to him. She watched as he pressed a few numbers and spoke lightly, but still fearfully, into the phone, and he quickly handed it back to her. She heard the kettle yell and she called to Ignis. “Make an extra cup for our friend here, and another for his friend that’ll be here shortly, please.” She never took her eyes off the boy shaking with fear on the floor before her.

“Yes, my love.” She heard Ignis reply as she heard the rattling of cups being set on small saucers.

Silence surrounded them as they drank their coffee, even the boy on the floor remained still has he held the small plate in his hand as he found himself unable to drink. It wasn’t long before a knock sounded at her door. She put out her hand to stop Ignis from standing to get the door, and rose to get it herself. She opened it to find a street clothed Millian standing before her. Wordlessly, she grabbed him by the collar of his shirt and pulled him inside not so gracefully and plopped him unceremoniously onto the couch beside Ignis.

“Thank you for joining us Millian. I have a few things to talk about, specifically your conduct in the recent days.” She spoke with authority, her arms thrown over her chest, her posture straight. Even Ignis couldn’t help but be slightly intimidated by her as he watched with his ardent eyes wide.

“If you will excuse me, I’ll set on some more coffee.” He explained as he rose to stand and made his way into the kitchen to begin the worlds slowest brew of coffee that he’d ever made.

“Why?” she simply asked with her arms still crossed. Silence between the two boys as she only faced Millian. She finally threw out her hand, as if she were going to strike the boy sitting on her couch, but before she could complete her motion, the boy behind her had risen to grasp her wrist tightly and pull her arm behind her. It didn’t take him long to round up her other arm hand hold it behind her as well. She chuckled, the feeble attempt at pinning her arms down she found laughable. She remained still as she spoke once more. “And you think you can get away with this?”

“Only if we get out of here.” Millian replied as he rose to stand, a smirk on his lips.

She turned her head to face the boy behind her the best she could. “You seemed to have gathered your courage. Commendable, but you seem to forget that I’m,” She moved her wrist to grasp at his belt and she held fast as she pulled her other arm out of his grip. “Trained by the Marshall himself.” She finished as she pulled the boy to the ground by his center. “You also seem to forget that I have friends, and one of them is in that kitchen,” She moved her head toward the kitchen doorway slightly, as if to pound the fact into his head. “And if anything were to happen here, you would never see the end of it.”

While she was looking toward the boy on the ground, Millian took this as his chance to strike. He quickly rose, his feet quick and precise, as he charged at her. Though his motions were silent, she dodged away effortlessly, but that gave enough time for the boy on the floor to rise and jump onto her back, his arms tightly around her neck. Hearing what little he could, Ignis couldn’t help but sprint back into the living room to see her throw the boy on her back over her shoulder into the wooden coffee table, his form suddenly stopping as the wind seemed to be knocked out of him.

“Is everything quite alright, dear?” He couldn’t help but ask as he saw the current state of her living room. Glancing at her, knowing she was completely unharmed, a relieved sigh escaped his lips. He knew that she could handle a couple of wayward boys, but that never did stop him from worrying.

“Yep. Everything’s fine. Sorry about the mess though. It seems our new friends wanted to dance.” She replied as she lightly kicked the boy in his ribs before moving to face Ignis finally. “If you wouldn’t mind calling the Marshall now. I have a feeling that he isn’t going to like what happened.” She crossed her arms over her chest once more while Ignis made the call; any time either of the boys moved, all she had to do was stare them down and they would return to their previous position.

Minutes ticked by and before long, a knock sounded at her door. She opened it to see Cor standing with his arms crossed tightly over his chest, his lips set into a grim line, and Gladiolus standing behind him. Upon walking into her apartment however, the Marshall and Gladiolus both couldn’t help but let their expressions melt into something akin to wonder and disbelief. They both knew what she was capable of, however, she had sustained no injuries whereas the two boys now frozen on the floor were both bruised blue.

“This is what happens when you don’t listen, Millian.” Gladiolus said, his voice filled with laughter as he picked up the much smaller boy and threw him over his shoulder. 

“Morrigan, unfortunately this does require a report. Would you mind coming with us to fill that out? If you wish to clean up before you do that, that’s fine.” Cor explained with a similar grin on his features, but he tried to remain professional in his demeanor.

“Cleaning can wait. I want these boys out.” Morrigan replied as she stepped over a larger piece of her broken coffee table. To anyone that had just heard the statement, they would think that she meant out of her apartment, but to the two men that were with her, and the one that witnessed it, they all knew that she meant out of the training program, out of the Citadel, and out of her life.

Filling out the paperwork was a laborious task, something that she never wanted to do. She had never been good at writing, even for all the times that she wrote when she didn’t speak and all the learning that she had done while she was still a mute, and even worse at describing the details. Ignis, Prompto and Kind Noctis were there for their own accounts of the events that they had witnessed, so their inclusion filled any blanks that she wasn’t able to articulate. For report purposes, the papers that had been written on were seized and held as evidence against them, which was fine with her seeing as she didn’t want something so vile in something as beautiful as the book that someone as important as Ignis had given her. Gladiolus, Cor and herself talked amongst themselves over the course of four hours about the fate of the two boys. Though she wanted them gone, Cor argued that keeping them within the program could do them some good, and she hated it, but she agreed with him. So, they came to the agreement to keep them within the program, away from the Citadel grounds, and set their training at a time that they would see fit. Millian and his friend, or any of his other friends, would no longer be able to enter the Citadel grounds and their passes revoked, and were housed off grounds on the other side of the city. They would be under the watchful eye of another General, someone much worse that Gladiolus had ever thought about being.

She returned home much later than she wanted, the sun had settled itself below the horizon and the moon was already high into the sky. The work wasn’t over seeing as she still had to clean up, but to her surprise, the broken coffee table had already been removed and the splinters of wood swept up with a deft hand. She knew exactly who had entered her apartment while she was away and it didn’t bother her in the slightest. In fact, a small grin had found itself home on her lips as she thought about the fact that Ignis had taken such care to clean up while she was away. Making her way into her bedroom, she found a new vase filled with new flowers, as the others had been ruined by the time she was able to put them into suitable housing, and a note upon the table below them.

_Dearest,_   
_I couldn’t help but notice that it appeared it was time for new foliage within your abode. I do hope these are suitable to your taste. I also knew that the vase you had before had been ruined, so I picked up another. I do hope that you did not mind. However, I do find the most recent event quite worrisome, and I wish I were there to protect your further. I seem to find myself questioning my ability care for you the way that you so deserve, and the only resolution in my mind is to offer my home to you, only to appease my own worries. Not that I doubt your ability to care for yourself, I do however, find it rather taxing on my judgement knowing that I can not be with you. I find myself rather out of sorts knowing that you are alone. It sounds quite venal, and I am aware, but the sentiment remains the same._   
_With Much Reverence,_   
_Ignis Scientia_

She pondered over the words carefully as she read them over once more, and again, and again. She questioned her own thoughts when Noctis offered her home within these walls and she explained that she would rather live alone, but close to those she cared for; Ignis being that main person. If she thought about it, he was literally at the far end of the hall, a stones throw away. It wouldn’t be anything to pack up what little belongings she had and move in with him, who had a much bigger apartment as well. The thoughts milled around in her mind and before she even knew it, she had her phone placed to her ear.

“Good morning dearest. Is everything alright?” Ignis’ accented voice took her from her thoughts, and she couldn’t help but clear her throat in response.  
“Yeah, everything’s fine. I just got your note and,” She didn’t know where she was going with her words and she began to just blurt them out without thinking. “I’d love to move in with you but I’m worried as to how you would accommodate me and I don’t want you to think that it’s just because you offered but it’s really because I want to, but I don’t want to be a burden to you and everyone else who is working so hard to get this place back running the way it should and-“

“Dear, calm down. Take a breath and think about your words before you speak.” He chuckled as he spoke. “If you would like, I am aware that Gladio is currently free, and I could call him, if you wish, to help you pack your things.”

She was silent as she couldn’t help but feel asinine and daft. She felt her brain shut down as she tried to form the words she needed, only for a defeated chuckle to escape her lips. “Thank you Ignis.” She said modestly, her tone more thankful than submissive.

“You are quite welcome, my dear. Now, gather your things and I’ll inform Gladio of the current events. Do not fret about what to do once you get there. I will still be at work, however, I will be home soon and I’ll prepare dinner.” She could tell that a warm smile had found itself home on his features, something she quite looked forward to seeing more of if she had to be completely honest with herself.

“Okay. Let me know when you’re on the way?” She asked as she found a small shoebox and began putting her toiletries inside.

“Always. I—I’ll see you once I return.” And with a click, he was gone. She couldn’t help but wonder what it was he wished to say before he suddenly changed his tone. Ignis Scientia was a difficult man to read sometimes, even harder to read when one couldn’t physically see him and had to rely on vocal cues.

She couldn’t stop the smile from spreading into a wholehearted grin as she packed what she could without the help of Gladiolus. She was also thankful that Ignis’ apartment had another bedroom and bathroom compared to her one bed and bath, and she tried to hide the fact that if she thought about sharing a bed with the man, as polite and refined as he was, her face would turn a shade of red that she never knew existed. Though in hindsight, she could see him taking up residence on his couch and insisting that she take the bed, but then she thought about the fact that he was entirely too tall for the couch and she would feel bad for taking up the only thing that was big enough for him to sleep comfortably. It was then that she threw the old shoebox onto the couch and loudly groaned as she thought about the whole idea, and getting more exasperated with herself as her toothbrush was throw out and fell inside the cushions. As she was fishing for the lost plastic, she heard Gladiolus rasp on the door and stuck his head inside.

“Hey, I’m here to he- Woah, what are you doing?” He asked as he stepped fully into the room only to find her half buried into the couch. She quickly resurfaced with the stupid piece of plastic with bristles and held it outward for him to see.

“It fell between the cushions and now I’m just angry.” She explained as she blew her bangs away from her face, only for them to fall right back where they were, which vexed her further.

“Hey, calm down,” Gladiolus began as he stepped toward her and removed the lock of infernal hair, that she was very tempted to just cut off, away from her face. “And just let me do all the heavy lifting. Iggy left his spare bedroom empty for a reason, so all you have to do is tell me where you want your stuff.” He spoke with a calmness that one wouldn’t expect from the burly bear of a man, but knowing where he found that sense of tranquility, she found herself slowly composing herself to a normal level as they walked into her bedroom.

“Thanks. Sorry. It’s a big thing to move, always has been, and moving in with someone such as Ignis…” Her voice trailed at the thought once more and she felt her face turn red. Gladiolus laughed as she seemed to squirm in her thoughts.

“Well, Iggy is a force to be reckoned with, so we all know you’ll be safe there. You know he’s wanted you to move in with him since the beginning right? He could never find a way to tell you that, so he kept it to himself mostly, until Noct managed to work a few things out of him.” The brute before her explained. She couldn’t stop her eyes from growing wide as she processed the information she’d just heard.

“What were these few things?” She couldn’t stop herself from asking. Gladiolus lifted the table by her window and stacked it neatly on top of her nightstand before he replied.

“That’s where the bro code comes in. He’d kill me in my sleep if I told you. He has told us quite a lot of things he’d like to do, most involving you, some not, but bro code man…” 

She understood where he was coming from, but the idea of surprises was something she wasn’t used to, much less surprises that would help her. If she stopped to think, which she didn’t, about the idea of moving in with someone in general, she felt like a burden. But she knew for a fact that Ignis wanted her to move in, and now she knew that he wanted her to be with him since the beginning, and that honestly scared her. She knew that he didn’t want to be without her, she knew that he cared for her, as she did he, but she couldn’t help but feel slightly guilty about the fact that she hadn’t mentioned it before now. She thought she could live alone, and for a while, she felt that she did a pretty good job, but even as she helped Gladiolus remove her bedsheets from her bed, she couldn’t prevent the thoughts that crossed her mind. 

There were many a night that she would frequently call Prompto or Ignis because she was afraid; and there was one particular night that a storm was blowing through, the trees planted outside making an awful racket as they appeared to want to snap in half at the trunk, and thunder boomed louder than she’d ever heard it before that roused her from her fitful sleep with tears streaming from her eyes. She called Ignis, who came over instantly and coddled her shaking form until she managed to fall back asleep. She awoke the next morning, the sun shining like the sky wasn’t on a warpath the night before, to find herself in her own bed and Ignis’ long, lithe frame draped over the couch, his glasses still locked onto his face, though now slightly askew. Though nothing got passed the ever vigilant Ignis, who woke as soon as she made motion to put the blanket back over him.

“Did you want to bring over any of your furniture?” Gladiolus asked as he helped her pack her clothes into a few boxes that he had brought over.

“Are you implying that Ignis has no seating inside his apartment?” she laughed as she shook her head. “No, I’m sure I’ll be okay without it." 

A light _ring_ sounded and Gladiolus stopped long enough to see who had messaged him. With a childish grin on his face, he announced; “Iggy said that we don’t need to bring your dresser or bed. He already had a bed set up and a dresser will be there tomorrow.”

“He knew that I would move in with him. How does he always know?” Morrigan asked, bewildered at the fact that Ignis just always seemed to know, everything.

“Iggy magic; a lot like his cooking. I followed his same recipe once, followed it to the letter, and it tasted like shit.” He spoke as he laughed at the memory.

Once everything was finally moved into her new home, she couldn’t help but stop and stare at her new room. Where her old room had been painted an unforgiving white, something she kept meaning to fix but never found the time, the spare room that Ignis had was a lovely shade of a pale blue, the carpet an off-white color much like the rest of his apartment. Gladiolus cleared his throat, snapping her from her thoughts.

“You need help unpacking or will you be okay on your own?” he asked. She turned to him, tears slowly filling her eyes as she couldn’t stop the words from escaping.

“This looks just like my bedroom when momma was still alive. I swear the window is even in the right place…” Her voice trailed as she walked slowly to the small window to look out, and found a small planter filled with the very first flower Ignis had ever bought her. She sniffled and wiped her eyes as she finally began to answer the question he had asked. “I’ll be fine. If you have something you need to do, go ahead. Thank you for helping me today; I really appreciate it.”

He walked slowly to her and patted her lightly, but firmly, on the back. “If you need help again, just call me. I’m free all day.” He gave her shoulder a light squeeze before he made his exit and she heart the faint _click_ of him locking the door.

She finished putting her new room together in silence as the tears began to fall. Every so often, she would have to stop and wipe her eyes, but that never stopped her heart from beating with gratitude for the man that she knew. How did he know exactly what would make her this happy? How did he know how to do half the things he did that would make her feel better? How did he always know? It didn’t take her long to find herself quite comfortable and lightly dozing on her now made up bed, the silence enveloping her like a blanket, something she wasn’t quite used to even while she was in her own apartment. It took her even less time to fall asleep, the world around her passing by without stopping, without caring about the consequences.

**********

Ignis stepped into his apartment and silence surrounded him, which sent the hair on the back of his neck straight up. He didn’t feel that anything was amiss, however, he was expecting more commotion with his new roommate. The only logical place to find her would be her room and opening the door slightly revealed that his instincts were correct. Morrigan had rolled to her right side, her back to him, knees brought up to her chest and hugging them lightly. Her fiery red mane sprawled out around her, some still managing to find purchase upon her lightly freckled features. He fought back the urge to run to her, to wrap his arms around her, and instead grasped the blanket that she’d kicked off of her and pulled it back up her small frame. He lightly grazed her cheek as he moved her hair away from her face and left a small peck onto the crown of her head.

“Rest well, my love. Tomorrow starts a new adventure.” He whispered as he turned off her nightstand lamp and left her to her peaceful dreams.


	9. Lineage

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, Microsoft Word has a read aloud function, and it's hilarious.

The morning arrived carelessly, without concern to the events the day before. Her eyes bleary and dim, Morrigan rose, completely unaware of where she was. Fear gripped her as she realized she wasn’t in her room, but it was quickly replaced with confusion as she smelled the beginnings of breakfast, bacon perhaps. It was then that she faintly remembered the events from the night before, Millian and his buddies being kicked away from the Citadel, the copious amounts of paperwork that had to be filled and filed, and the note that Ignis had left her, resting peacefully upon her table. She threw her legs from the tangled mess of the duvet and let her feet rest upon the plush carpet as she gently dug her toes into it. A light tune could be heard from beyond the door but knowing full well who was on the other side, a smile graced her lips as she listened carefully. She couldn’t help but feel something she couldn’t quite name as she listened to the familiar tune; happiness perhaps, maybe even bliss.

A light rasp sounding from the door took her from her thoughts. Ignis slowly opened the door, a smile on his features and a plate in hand, he stepped inward and calmly walked to her sitting form to sit along side her.

“Did you rest well, my dear?” he asked, his voice still seemingly tired from the previous days events as well. He gently handed her the plate filled with bacon, eggs, toast and something she didn’t even know the name of, but she was confident that it would be delicious since he had made it.

“I did. How did you sleep?” She replied as she grasped a piece of bacon and put a small bite in her mouth, only to be bombarded with the flavor and drool began to situate itself on the corners of her lips. She would never tire of this man and his cooking.

“Rather restless I’m afraid. Upon reviewing the findings from something I had investigated long ago, I’m afraid of the results.” Once he noticed her questioning gaze, he expanded further. “Once power had been restored, I did a little research. I’m not proud of my actions, even more so that I went behind your back, but I felt that you deserved to know.”

“Know what Ignis?” her voice was weak, like she had just been punched in the gut. She wasn’t upset with him, in fact, it was quite the opposite. She knew that the man sitting beside her cared for her, probably more than he did himself, but that never stopped her from being greatly confused at his words.

“Before we returned to finish things here all those years ago, you mentioned that you had family residing within Tenebrae. I felt that you deserved to know who they were, or at least if they were still alive. My search was complete about three days ago, but seeing as you were dealing with Millian and his tomfoolery, I didn’t want to bring you any more undue stress.” She watched as he gently placed his head into his hands, a motion that she’d only seem him do a handful of times, mainly when he was ashamed of his actions.

She placed her hand on his back, his frame hunched over, so unlike the strong man she knew. Whatever was going through his mind, it was taxing to him, and she didn’t like that. Ignis wasn’t ever the one to show weakness, he was never the one that let the others, herself included, know how tired he was, or how much he just wanted to stop. He was always the one that kept everyone going, no matter the cost to his own wellbeing.

“Ignis, tell me. I’m not mad, but I need to know what you found.” He remained silent as she continued to speak. “I promise you that there isn’t anything you could do to hurt me. You’ve done nothing but welcome me with open arms. And Ignis, if I have to be completely honest with my feelings, I’m glad that you asked me to move in. I’m glad that I’m here with you now, even though you don’t feel as if you’re good enough. But you’re good enough to me, you’re good enough for them. You always have and always will be.”  
“Would you like to accompany me to the Research Room?” he finally asked after a pregnant pause, one that lasted longer than it should have.

“Just tell me when and I’ll walk beside you.” She replied as she gazed into his viridian eyes, ones that held uncertainty and fear. He knew that her words held a double meaning; she would walk beside him to their location, but she would also, and always, walk beside him in this life; never behind him for she was not his follower, nor in front because she was not his leader, but beside him, because they were equal, and she cared for him, all of him.

Though the fear of the unknown terrified her, probably just as much as it did him, she had to know what he had found. She needed to know if she had any lineage remaining, anyone that she could still call blood or next of kin. The fact that she’d known about her distant relatives since she was a child, but had never once met them, was something that had always bothered her, though she never let the emotion show through; because there was always much more to do, much more pressing matters that had to be handled. She was willing to wait as long as she needed to, as long as it took, to find out if she had a life elsewhere. However, she was terrified for the simple fact being, she didn’t know if these people would take her from her friends, from Ignis. Just the thought of not being able to see him, the man that she’d grown to care for, and dare she say love, was something that   
she didn’t even want to think about.

Taking one final glance at the seemingly vulnerable man beside her, she gently snaked her arms around his torso, his heartbeat able to be heard in the deep silence. She felt him gently place a hand upon her arm, but to her surprise, he pushed her arms away from him. His gaze was forlorn, helpless even, so she did the only thing she could think of. Turning her whole body to face him, she gently grasped his face in her hands and pulled his head downward so that his forehead could touch hers. With her own emerald eyes closed, she spoke softly, her voice wary but filled with faith; faith in him and faith in the outcome of the situation.

“Do not be afraid of me leaving, for I have no desire to do so. Whatever you’ve found may be my blood family, but they could never, ever, take me away from you, from my family here. I’ve said before that you are the only person I wish to be with, and that remains the same today. Ignis, you are my family, and with you I shall remain.”

A small smile finally graced his features as she opened her eyes and lightly pushed his head back to normal. He moved slowly to gently cup her cheek, his thumb lightly rubbing her cheekbone; then he moved his hand to hold her chin, and slowly brought her lips to his, the kiss sending butterflies through both their stomachs and her world spinning.

“Promise, my love?” he asked, his voice quaking slightly with a hint of fear.

“With everything I am.” She replied and leaned in to kiss him once more.

**********

The Research Room was something that she could only imagine appearing in a silly sci-fi movie. Floor to ceiling monitors on every wall, various colors from each screen, and many people milling about in their rolling chairs. The sheer amount of people was enough to send Morrigan’s nerves on edge, and sensing this, Ignis quickly made everyone that didn’t need to be there leave the room. The two researchers remaining knew better than to make Ignis upset, so she noticed that they both seemed to hide away as far back into the room as they could.

“If it weren’t for Prompto, this room would not even exist. Can you believe that when we returned, this room was nothing but a ruined muddle of circuitry and rubble?” He spoke quietly, but his tone was still prideful. He knew what Prompto was before the fall, a small child still unsure of his place within the world, and seeing him as he was now, was something that he was proud of.

As if on cue, Prompto walked through the sliding electronic door with a giant grin plastered to his features.

“Hiya!” he said with his arm high into the air. So, he knew the results as well, it seemed. “I assume the two of you are here,” he began as he sat himself down in the nearest rolling chair. “For this.” He finished as he clicked a small folder that was labeled as her name.

Various files were stored into the folder, some named things that didn’t even make sense to her, like blood types and birthdays, but there was one that drew her eye. With the title of ‘Family Lineage’, she couldn’t help but take the mouse from Prompto’s hands and quickly double click. The PDF quickly loaded, showing her what resembled a family tree going back to her great-great-great grandparents. She quickly skimmed from her name, up to her mothers, and that was where she began to see names of people she knew, their faces forever burned into her memory. 

She knew that her mother had a sister, one of the only living members of her family left in Tenebrae that she was certain of. What she didn’t know was that her name was Sylva, more specifically, Sylva Via Fleuret, reigning queen of Tenebrae. She followed the lines downward, her husband, their children, both Lunafreya and Ravus, their names glaring at her like a beacon of fire willing to destroy anything in its path. Suddenly, she was afraid, terrified of everything. In just a split second, her life had changed, and it would remain that way until she perished from this world. The world around her began to spin and tilt as she stumbled backwards into a giant table that held many more documents unrelated to her, and before she knew it, the floor was coming to greet her with open arms.

She awoke sometime later, a cloth draped over her forehead and a blanket pulled up to her chest. The light within the room told her it was much later in the morning, if not already well past noon. She turned her head, the cloth slowly sliding off, and saw Ignis sitting within a nearby chair, his chin resting on his chest, his arms lightly crossed, his eyes normally filled with so much life now closed and his body resting. She glanced around the room slowly and realized that she was back in her bedroom within Ignis’ apartment. She rose herself slowly, as to not wake the sleeping man to her left, but her efforts were futile as she watched him stir and slowly raise his head to look in her direction.

“Are you alright, my dear?” his voice was awash with concern and guilt, the tone inwardly causing pain to her.

“What happened?” she asked simply as she grasped the cloth and realized that a small amount of blood had gathered on the side. She felt her forehead to find a strip of gauze around the crown of her head, the littlest amount of pressure she was putting forth causing her more pain than she thought possible.

The door opened to reveal a bleary eyed Prompto. He yawned as he spoke, his words almost unnatural as his lips moved. “Oh hey, you’re awake.”

“I’m afraid I wasn’t quick enough to catch you, and for that, I apologize. You fainted and struck your head on the corner of the table as you fell.” Ignis explained as he slowly rose, only to lower himself once more on the side of her bed.

“You need anything? The doc said you’d be fine after some sleep, but he told us to make sure you kept the bandage on just in case. It wasn’t a bad cut, but you know how headwounds are.” Prompto spoke from the doorway, unsure if it was acceptable to enter her room or not.

Suddenly, everything she had learned within the past day or so came crashing, like a tidal wave of memories, back to her. General Ravus, and the Oracle late Lady Lunafreya, the two people she least expected, were her family. The information sent her head spinning once more, and she couldn’t help but look upon Ignis for guidance.

“Prompto, fill a glass with water.” Ignis calmly spoke, his words more of an order than a suggestion. “General Ravus has been informed of you and your whereabouts, and general status here within the Citadel. However, he does wish to meet you, something I suggested that he bring up with you. Correspondence between the two of you should go over quite smoothly once he initiates the transaction.”

“Did he know before now?” Morrigan asked as she did the only thing that could calm her down, she took his hand into hers and gave it a gentle squeeze, which he returned. Prompto returned with the glass of water and handed it to her, and she took it in her free hand but didn’t drink.

“He had known for quite some time, long before I had received word of confirmation. He didn’t quite know how to exchange this information with you, so he left it to our discretion. I comprehend how taxing this is to you, so if there is anything you require, anything at all, please do not hesitate to inform me.”

“How long was I out?” she finally asked after the silence had turned into something so loud that she could no longer hear herself think.

“A couple of hours. But you’re fine, right? You feel fine? Your head doesn’t hurt too bad?” Prompto pipped in as it seemed like he couldn’t contain his worry any longer.

Morrigan smiled as she replied, mainly to distract the both of them that her mind was in complete disarray, her thoughts running wild, her anxiety high. “I’ll be fine. It hurts just a little, but nothing I can’t handle.”

If Ignis, as he was always the most observant of the four of them, noticed anything, he didn’t mention it as he spoke once more. “I surmise that you’ll feel that way for quite a few days, dear. If there is anything you require, let me know and I’ll do what I can. Unfortunately, I have to return to work.”

“Yeah, I should head back too. Those comps aren’t going to run themselves.” Prompto said as he took the glass from her hand and set it lightly on the nightstand. “Call me if you need anything.” And with that, he turned on his heels and left the room, the two of them hearing the front door shut shortly thereafter.

Ignis turned to her once more, his right leg bent inward as he moved further onto the bed beside her. Raising her hand to his lips, he placed a small peck on her knuckles. “I apologize for leaving you so soon, my dear. However, I wanted to assure you that I will return quickly. My work load as of late has gotten rather small, and seeing as current events have gotten slightly out of control, there isn’t much to be done.”

Confused, she replied, her head cocked to the side. “Tell me about it.” More of a general statement than a suggestion. She watched as a smile quickly crossed his lips, but as soon as she noticed it, it was gone.

“The general wildlife outside the walls have seem to taken over parts of towns that they shouldn’t. All we can do, as of now, is monitor their actions, and keep them away from the civilians. If the problem persists, I’m afraid that we will have to send out a team of hunters to take care of it.” Silence surrounded the both of them as she registered the weight of his words.

The local wildlife had been going senseless since before the darkness came. Any abandoned shack, or place that she could call refuge when she was alone, was always infested with critters. Some harmless, like the baby chocobo she’d found and took care of for a little while before she happened to run into what appeared to be a mother chocobo looking after its other young, but most were taken over by Voretooths or Sabertusks. She recalled with great fear as she grasped a metal pipe she’d found lying nearby and tried to fight them off, only to end up running away because their numbers increased in a matter of seconds.

“Are you well, my dear?” Ignis’ voice rang out, snapping her from her thoughts.

“Oh, yeah, I’m okay. Just promise me something.” She began as she grasped his hand firmly within hers. His expression shifted to something akin to concerned confusion as she spoke again. “If you have to send anyone out to take care of the beasts, I want to be part of that team. I need something to distract me from what we all just found out anyway, and seeing as I’m not really doing anything here—”

“Dear, please.” A warm smile crossed his lips as he spoke. He knew that she had a habit of rambling when she couldn’t get her thoughts straight, or when she was trying to hide from her own fears and concerns. “I assure you that I will take care of this matter personally and there will be no need for you to return to the wastelands.” He pressed his forehead to hers lightly as to not disrupt the bandages or cause her undue pain. “I can say with the upmost certainty that you are doing everything here you can. You’ve been a wonderful mentor within the Training Grounds, and you’ve been a wonderful person to everyone you’ve met.”

“But Ignis, I can hold my own out there. I want to go out there and help the people that couldn’t, or wouldn’t, return here. Those people out there are just like how I was, and personally, I don’t feel comfortable leaving them alone with those creatures. Please, let me go out there.” Her voice begged, the tears finding the corners of her eyes and slowly falling as she gently pulled away from the man before her. She knew what it was like to be helpless, afraid of walking around the corner in the night only to find a monster on the other side. She knew what it was like to have the fear that she knew every single person out there was feeling, even at this current moment.

He sighed heavily. He knew that there was no use in trying to stop her, for he too knew what it meant to her to help. In her eyes, she would be repaying the people that helped her before, or most of them anyway, and who was he to stop her from doing just that?

“I will gather the needed information and pass it along to you. Just promise me that you’ll return safely.” He finally managed to say, his voice low, defeated even, as he spoke.   
She gently pulled his head toward her and placed a small kiss upon his lips. “I already told you that I wasn’t going anywhere.” She said with a smile.

**********

That was exactly how Morrigan found herself with the unbearable humidity and general bogged down feeling that came with the Vesperpool and its surrounding areas. The sweat tightly locked onto her body, hugging it like a second skin, was something that she would do anything to remove, and she sighed loudly as she took another wipe at her forehead to prevent the droplets from falling into her eyes. The horizon had all but faded into a soundless waterscape, if it weren’t for the monsters roaming about. She felt the bugs crawl and nip at her skin, but there wasn’t anything she could do about it except cover up any exposed flesh, but the general humidity that clung to her made that task impossible.  
“Ma’am, this is all we’ve gathered at this time. If you require any further assistance, let me know. I’ll be right over there by the shop stall.” A woman that she’d come to know as Ann said as she handed her a small folder.

Reading the papers housed inside surprised her. The local wildlife here had gone completely mad it seemed, and there was one thing that seemed to be causing all the problems. A Malboro, much larger than any of them had ever seen, had taken up residence within the pool, shifting the whole ecosystem out of balance, and seeing as it was accompanied by its brats, that meant that a lot of flora had disappeared seemingly overnight; except this had been happening for longer than the people here could tell her.

A small team of highly trained Glaives had joined her on her mission, much to Ignis’ relief, to set things back the way that they were supposed to. She took a turn to face them, her demeanor strictly business as she about faced.

“Boys! We’re here to take care of that,” she began as she pointed toward the giant monstrosity lurking in the distance. “Once that thing is gone, we can go home. Prepare yourselves tonight, gather your supplies, because in the morning we’re going to take that thing down.” She finished, a determined grin locked on her features which sent the ones that came with her into a frenzy of _ooh rahh_ s and other general excitement. “Gina,” she called and a small woman, probably not even eighteen, came running toward her. 

“Get medical supplies ready and have Dr. Vi on standby. It’s better to be more prepared than to have nothing at all.”

“Yes ma’am.” The girl replied and she scuttled away to do as she was told.

Just as the sun was beginning to set, the group ate and talked amongst themselves as she looked over their findings once more. Over the course of the week that they’d been there, she had hoped that more information would find its way to her, or someone that she was working with, but she had to take what she could get. Reading over their findings, she’d learned that the beast was weak against ice, so she knew that someone had to craft some blizzard spells to have within their arsenal and any weapons that they could imbue with ice would help them as well, however, there wasn’t anyone within her retinue that could imbue the element to their weapons but there was someone that could craft the spell into small items to be thrown like a grenade. 

She instructed Naomi, a small girl much younger than she was, but still strong where she needed to be, to make the small grenades, enough for three each for the five of them.   
She went to her task, finally able to do something to help since she felt rather helpless since she wasn’t as good with a standard weapon as she was with magic.

She summoned her spear from the aether, something she rarely used since it required the ring that Noctis had given her to do so, and she didn’t want to draw too much attention to herself and began to sharpen the tip as best as she could as she seated herself upon a flat boulder . She was having a hard time with the overall shape of the point until Harold, a middle-aged man whose general build could rival Gladiolus’ any day, gently tapped her shoulder and offered to do it for her. She gave up her weapon reluctantly but watched him carefully as he did what needed to be done; not for fear of the man running away with it, but to learn how to do it correctly.

Gina and Arnulf, a thin and lanky man, much like how Prompto was when they first met, spoke about things that she couldn’t hear, nor did she want to as she had noticed that the man had become quite smitten with the young girl and she could only imagine what kind of distraction that would be when they began their ambush. 

Alex, a knowledgeable protégé of Gladiolus himself, prepped their potions and elixers for the upcoming battle while Harry, a stout older man and the father of Gina, cleaned the weapons after Harold had sharpened them. She watched Harry carefully as he seemed to be eyeing his daughter and the Glaive talking with her, and she couldn’t help but chuckle knowing full well that he didn’t approve of his daughters taste. The preparations with off without any delay and, before she knew it, the dawn, and heat, had awakened them from a rather restless slumber.

**********

The Malboro was bigger than any of them had imagined. She’d seen them within books held inside the library, but no words could describe the monstrosity before her. She felt every single movement that the beast made, something that terrified her, but she had no time to spare. She watched to her right as Arnulf had been grasped tightly by a flailing limb but Harold was right behind it to cut him loose, however, it appeared that their weapons did no damage to the beast. It opened its mouth, and as it did, she saw Naomi toss one of her ice grenades into the gaping maw and it violently jerk as it exploded, stunning it slightly. Through her own onslaught, she saw Alex jump into the air and land a massive blow to its head, its brats right on her heels. As soon as the other woman landed on her steady feet, she turned to face off the horde that had surrounded her. Morrigan realized quickly that this wasn’t going to end well, or soon, if they couldn’t get the brats away from their main target.

“Arnulf and Harold, rally up the little ones and take care of them!” she shouted, not even knowing if they had heard her until she saw the older man running from the scene with about six little ones nipping at his legs. “Naomi and Alex, regroup and give it everything you’ve got!”

The other two women gathered around her and let loose a massive blow to the flailing limbs of the creature, still seemingly taking no damage. She saw one of the many limbs twitch and suddenly she was grasped around the waist and tossed around like a rag doll. A blue flash nearly blinded her as she summoned a one-handed sword to cut herself free, but its skin was just too thick. She felt as the tentacle tightened, the breath being pushed out of her, her head beginning to spin as she couldn’t get a breath in edgewise; and then she was flying. Trying to find something to land on as she composed herself was impossible as she suddenly felt another tentacle grab her around her torso, this time pinning her arms down at her side. She was unable to prevent what happened next as she saw the murky water quickly rush to greet her, and then she felt her whole body be submerged.  
The muck beneath the surface seemed to act like a bonding agent, keeping her rooted to the ground with the help of the limb still holding her down. She felt her lungs burn as they began to ache for air as she kicked at the tentacle to no avail. She could feel her movements slowing, her body getting heavier as she stopped fighting and focused on trying to find the surface, only to be held fast by the muck underneath her. Suddenly, she felt an arm wrap around her, and she fought against it only to realize that Harold had swam to her rescue. He quickly cracked an elixir on her exposed skin, everything seeming to heal instantly. However, in retaliation to the onslaught, the Malboro lunged a tentacle toward the man and Morrigan quickly pushed him out of the way, taking the full blunt of the blow herself. The second of impact sent her soaring, the pain all but rendering her useless. She pulled her legs close to her chest and hugged them as she braced for the impact against the nearby rocks, only it never came. Instead, her body sank like a stone in a much deeper portion of the pool, a location that she didn’t even know existed.

She didn’t even know which way was up, and even if she did know, her arms and legs couldn’t coordinate well enough together to swim toward the light that she looked for. _This is it… This is how I die…_ Her mind raced as she tried with everything she had remaining to find the surface, to fight through the pain that she could feel in the entirety of her body. Ignis flashed before her eyes, his beautiful ardent eyes lost and despondent as they would be if he learned of her fate. Prompto, who always had a way of making her laugh, a ray of sunshine in a dark world, his light diminished and gone, his own baby blues no longer holding the hope that she knew he had. Gladiolus, who was always so strong, seemingly frail and brittle as his features displayed nothing but complete remorse. Finally, Noctis, King Noctis, his lips set into a grim line, wanting terribly to break but having to remain strong for the others grieving, giving his speech about her, his feelings toward her, reminding people of who she was. She felt her eyes close, the pain subsiding as the darkness took hold.

That was when she saw a small white light, and warmth overtook her. She felt it down at the tips of her toes and slowly spread to the top of her head. A hand gently cupped her right cheek and she couldn’t help but open her eyes. A young woman stood before her, white gown dancing in the unseen breeze, a small but warm smile resting upon her features, her blonde hair never wavering from its place upon her crown.

“Now is not the time to give up.” Her voice rang through Morrigans mind like a bell. Her tone was calm, collected, but convivial, as she removed her hand from her face and laced her fingers together at her own waist. “The people of Insomnia, of Tenebrae, still need you. You have your own calling to fulfill, but in order to complete it, you must first wake up.”

Her eyes cracked open to see the great expanse of the blue sky above her, the sounds of the ongoing battle muffled in her waterlogged ears. She realized that she couldn’t move, as she was floating within the murky water that tried its hardest to drag her down. Confusion swept through her as she thought about who she had seen, such a beautiful woman, but who was she?

“Ma’am! Are you okay?!” she faintly heard someone yell. “Don’t move, I’m coming to get you!” the voice instructed. As the sounds of splashing got closer, she realized that Arnulf had either seen where she landed and ran as fast as he could to get to her or knowing that she had gone down and knew that she couldn’t swim, did what he could to get to her. She felt his arm lightly wrap around her stomach and she found herself upright, her head barely above the waters surface. Once they had returned to the knee-deep waters she knew, she fought with her legs to stand, using him to pull herself up erect.

“What happened?” she managed to ask as she looked on toward the battle as Alex, Naomi and Harold threw another folly of ice grenades into the beasts open orifice.

“To be honest, I’m not entirely sure ma’am. We thought you were dead. Harold saw you go under, but he was busy with his own attacks, so he yelled at me to come get you.” Arnulf explained as he handed her the staff that she’d dropped. She took it and readied herself for another round of attacks. “You want to finish this?” 

Without verbally answering him, she ran forward, water splashing, muck trying to hold her down; but she would not relent in her onslaught. The Malboro opened its jaws once more and she let loose the three grenades that she had still saved on her person. The others threw what remaining ones they had left, and as the bombs detonated within the body, it jerked and lurched with each new _boom_ that was barely heard; but it stopped, frozen, ice crystals hanging from its skin as it was rendered immobile.

“Everyone, as one! Let’s go!” She yelled as she began rushing toward the petrified beast.

Alex and Naomi had taken to its body while Arnulf and Harold took out what they could of the tentacles, the slashes and stabs going through with great ease despite the icy body. As hide and limbs fell from the body, it seemed to finally wither and shrink in size until the only thing remaining was a frozen but bloodied heap of gore. A deafening cheer surrounded her, but she barely heard it. She felt her head spin, her vision blurring as she tried to take tentative steps toward what she thought was solid ground, but her legs fell out from underneath her, her body finally giving out.

“Woah, hold on. I go—” She barely heard Harold’s voice as darkness surrounded her.

**********

“What is my calling? And who are you?” Morrigan asked the blonde woman who was before her once again. The woman smiled the same warm smile as she did before.

“All your answers reside within Tenebrae, who you are, what is intended of you, and your true destiny.” The woman explained as she gently pushed a lock of hair behind her ear. 

“You have grown into such a beautiful woman, someone that your mother would be proud of.” The woman placed each of her hands lightly upon her cheeks and brought her forehead to her lips and placed a light peck, friendly but reassuring in demeanor, before she removed her hands and stepped back once more. “Do continue to make your mother proud. She’s always watching over you, as well as your sister. They still love you, and they love the beautiful person you have become.”

Her eyes slowly opened, her surroundings foreign to her. The walls were white, the harsh brightness of the lights making the room seem brighter than it really was. The distant _beep, beep_ of a machine slowly made itself known, only adding to her perplexity. As she attempted to sit upward, she realized that an IV line was coming from the crook of her arm, making it almost impossible to move without disturbing whatever medicine she was receiving. She glanced around, panic slowly rising as the beeping steadily got faster and faster. She watched in fear as the door to her left opened suddenly and an older woman walked in and got right beside her to check the monitor that she was hooked up to.

“Oh, that’s why it went crazy.” The woman spoke as soon as she noticed that her eyes were open.

“Where am I?” Morrigan asked, her voice raspy, her throat on fire.

“You’re back in Insomnia. Dr. Vi had you airlifted here two days ago since he didn’t have what he needed at the Vesperpool to help you.” Morrigan opened her mouth to speak, but the woman cut her off before she could. “The others are fine, minor injuries and maybe a few broken ribs, but they are fine. You trained them well.”

“I’m glad…” she let her voice trail as the weight of their survival removed itself from her chest.

“And you tell that boy of yours that just because he’s the Royal Advisor doesn’t mean he gets special treatment. Visiting hours are over at seven.” The womans tone was firm, but she couldn’t help but smile as she spoke. “Oh yeah, this arrived for you as well. The King himself hand delivered it to you while you were sleeping, but I didn’t want anyone to get ahold of it, so I held onto it for you.” She explained as she placed a small white envelope on her outstretched legs. Her name was printed on the front in a script that rivaled Ignis’. “Now I’ll make an exception this time and call the boys over here for you, but you have to stay quiet or I’ll have to kick them out.”

Silence pervaded the room as she felt the weight of the envelope on her legs and thought about its contents. She knew, or felt like she knew, who the sender was, but was this something that she could face on her own? She didn’t want to think about it, and she picked up the envelope from her legs and tried to put it on the nearby table. Unfortunately, she wasn’t quite able to reach the tables surface, and she watched as the post fell gracefully downward to the marble floor. She groaned in frustration and threw her upper body back onto the pillows behind her as it landed with an audible tap. First, she was in a hospital, or hopefully, within the Citadel, because she was too hardheaded and didn’t listen to Ignis in the first place, and now she couldn’t even put a stupid piece of parchment onto a table without it falling; and now, thanks to her sudden force on the pillows, they had ever so slightly risen upwards to make her neck bend at an awkward angle and if she didn’t move soon, her neck would be sore for days, because of the stupid pillows that were supposed to be comfortable when she was supposed to be resting so her body could heal.

Just as she felt the tears bud in her eyes, the door opened slightly and Prompto’s head slowly peeked through.

“Can I come in?” he asked, his bright blue eyes a welcoming sight to the stark white of the room. She gave a thumbs up but returned to looking at the popcorn ceiling, afraid to use her voice for fear that she would break out into tears. She heard him open the door further, shut it lightly, and walk toward her. “Woah, you look like hell.” He stated, his tone more surprised than hurtful.

“Well, thanks Prompto. Just what I’ve always wanted to hear.” She snapped, her voice cracking and the tears finally falling. After a moment of silence, she spoke again, her voice still muted. “I’m sorry. I was just too stubborn to listen and now it’s gotten not only me, but four other Glaives out of commission for however long.”

“That’s okay. You reached a breaking point. Happens to the best of us. All you can do is just let it run its course and you’ll be back to normal afterwards.” He said calmly, like her tone didn’t even bother him in the slightest. “Besides, you snapping at me is nothing compared to what Gladio does when he’s angry.” He finished with a chuckle as he seemed to remember something from before they met.

“Can you pick up that letter and set it on the table please? And help me fix these stupid pillows. I want to sit up, but it feels like everything is on fire if I move.” She asked, the frustration bleeding into her voice as she spoke.

Without a reply, she watched as he moved to pick up the envelope, not even questioning its contents, and set it on the table that she had tried so hard to do before and gently place an arm below her neckline to raise her slightly to move the pillows downward. Unfortunately for her, just this little bit of movement alone sent pain surging through her body, and her features morphed into a grimace of pain as she bit her bottom lip to stop herself from crying out. She instantly tasted the copper of blood as she tried to situate herself into a comfortable position.

“Ignis will be here in a few and Noct will be here if he can get away from his meeting. Gladio said that he would see you tomorrow since he has his regimen to follow and the Marshall sends his regards.” Prompto informed her. “Can you move your legs at all?” he asked.

“I don’t know, I haven’t tried. I’m afraid to since moving anything on my upper half fills me with fire, but I’ll try when Ignis gets here. Just let me…” she sighed as she spoke, like speaking took too much out of her. “Breathe for a few minutes.”

As if the sheer mention of his name invoked the man, Ignis opened the door while lightly rasping on it with his knuckle. Upon seeing her damaged body, the bruises and cuts, he couldn’t help but step quickly toward her, Prompto quickly stepping backwards out of his way, and take her hand within his. Worry painted itself upon his features as he opened his mouth to speak, but quickly shut it, unable to find the words needed to console her.

“I’m okay Ignis. I’m alive. I should have just listened to you in the first place.” She said, a hint of a smile in her voice. 

She barely managed to gently squeeze his hand in return before he had begun to trace over the new tears embedded on her skin, the skin on her shoulder completely torn asunder and, while it was bandaged, she felt pinpricks as he gently caressed the dressing there. The old scar on the bridge of her nose was now extended with a new wound to the upper half of her lip, sure to scar once it was healed. She could feel many other wounds decorating her body, as no matter how little she moved, they were set ablaze like she were dancing in fire. He remained silent as he inspected her body that was seen above the blanket, taking each new injury he found into great consideration as he gently touched the bandages.

“Woah, your chart is crazy Morrigan. Wanna know what it says?” Prompto spoke, his voice barely stopping Ignis from his examination. She remained silent but made motion for him to continue, the fire being ignited in her arm as she moved it. “Airlifted from the Vesperpool from the care of one Doctor Vi. Patient has sustained major injuries to her head, arms, and torso. Other injuries are present, but do not require further inspection. However, upon arrival, the patient was unresponsive to any drug administered and coded twice.” He read verbatim, the words not fully registering as he spoke. “What does ‘coded’ mean?” he asked, and silence surrounded them as neither her, or Ignis knew how to answer the question in a reserved manner.

“It means she died on the table.” Ignis finally explained after what felt like hours. “Likely due to the toxins from the Malboro.” His voice was rough, like he’d taken on the fiend by himself and experienced it firsthand. “Prompto, if you would excuse us for a moment.” His tone more of a command than a suggestion, but sensing the impending words that would be exchanged, Prompto nodded and stepped out of the room, shutting the door lightly behind him.

Morrigan gazed at the man at her side, his features awash with worry, concern and even fear. She watched as he slowly took off his glasses and set them on the table atop the envelope, and vigorously rubbed at his eyes with his thumb and forefinger. She felt the emotions surround him like an aura of nakedness, something she’d only seen him do once, shortly after Noctis went inside the crystal.

“Darling,” he began as he took her face into his hands, his own features morphing into something that she couldn’t even recognize. “Please do not ever be so rash. I—” He seemed to choke on his words before he managed to finally let them be known. “I don’t want to live in a world without you. In all my life, I have never desired something as much as I wish to have you with me.” She saw the tears budding in the corners of his eyes, and despite the pain that went through her, she gently wiped them away as they began to trail downward. “You are the most important person in my life, so please, do not—” He sniffled, his lower lip trembling as he tried to continue. “Morrigan, I love you. Do not leave this world without me.” He lowered his face, unable to keep his emotions in check any longer.

She pushed herself upward, the inferno reignited as she moved, but she gently wrapped her arms around his seemingly broken frame and pulled him as close as she could. “And I   
love you.” She whispered into his hair, which had become disheveled during his emotional outburst. 

She held him for as long as he needed. The conclusions of his long search weighed heavily on his heart, as well as his own feelings toward her and how to properly handle them; and just the thought of being without her sent his emotions into overdrive. He was aware of her current status, however, alive was all he was given. He wasn’t aware of the fact that she had died twice, not counting what he didn’t see while her and her team fought. She knew from the beginning, if he even reciprocated her feelings, the romance would never be an easy one. Trials and tribulations were part of any relationship, but not everyone was the Royal Advisor and a training assistant for the royal family of Insomnia.  
“And I love you.” She said once more as she lifted his face carefully to look at her. She searched within his watchful eyes and found his resolve. Pain coursed through her as she leaned forward to place a small but tender kiss upon his now chapped lips. “I will never leave you.” She pulled herself away only for him to lean forward once more to kiss her lips again with more fervor than she’d ever known him to use. 

She let out a chortle, the sound almost unknown to her as her voice once again began to weaken. She let herself fall back onto the pillows, her body losing what little strength it had regained since she had slept. She watched as Ignis rose to full height and walked into the nearby bathroom to, what she assumed, clean up. He returned moments later and returned his glasses to their resting place upon the bridge of his nose and called Prompto back in. The blond returned with Noctis, a bright smile despite the circumstances light up his features, in tow.

“Glad you’re back with us. Don’t do that again, and that’s an order from the king himself.” He said with a laugh. If he noticed Ignis’ still grim persona, he didn’t mention it as he continued. “Thanks to what you’ve done, the Vesperpool outpost has seen a few of their regular animals returning and they’ve planted new flora to replace the ones that were taken. It should be back to normal within the coming months, but only time will tell. You did a good job out there, and I, for one, am thankful that you managed to take the fiend down. The four of us took one on once, but we didn’t have as much fun as you did since we didn’t have the brats to worry about, but it was still hard coming out of it. If it weren’t for Specs here, we might all be dead right now.” He finished as he clapped Ignis on the shoulder, his frame jerking forward, but he remained stoic.

Another rasp sounded from the door and Noctis looked to her, who nodded, and called back for the person to open and enter. The nurse from before had returned with a plate of food, dinner perhaps, and a small cup of medicine.

“Now, I’m going to have to ask you boys to give her a little space so she can eat and take the meds we’re giving her.” She turned her body to face Morrigan as she placed the plate onto the table and wheeled it closer to her. “I know it’s probably going to hurt to move, but you’ve got to get those limbs moving again if you want to get better. We’ll try walking later, but if you like, you can try moving your legs while I’m here if you want.” The nurse explained. 

Morrigan nodded and she watched as the nurse went to the bottom of the bed and lifted up the blanket to show her bare legs, something she didn’t quite feel comfortable with but there was nothing she could do to protest. She started small and tried to move her big toe. Once she realized that she could do that with very minimal pain, she tried the rest of her toes, and again, minimal pain. She moved her feet, using her ankle to pivot the bone, and pain shot through her legs, but she pushed through it to try again only to discover that it was too much for her to do. Defeated, she put her head back on the pillows and sighed.

“Don’t worry. That’s still an up. We’ll work with it later, or if you like, you can have your friends help you. But for now, eat and rest a little, and don’t forget to take your medicine.” She spoke with a smile as she swiftly exited the room, shutting the door behind her.

Ignis finally moved, seemingly recovered from the thoughts that ran rampant in his mind. “Would you like some help?” he asked, his voice slightly strained as he tried to put on a modicum of normalcy in his tone. 

She was silent as they all watched her struggle to lift her arm to grasp the plastic fork, and her efforts were rewarded with her arm going limp and falling by her side. With a warm smile that didn’t reach his eyes, something that concerned her greatly, he took the fork in his own hands and began to patiently feed her the meager meal. She listened as Prompto and Noctis reminisced of their own adventures before they had met, and some after. She would occasionally pipe in a comment or two, but her attention was mainly focused on the tactician before her, gently placing small bites of mystery meat and what looked like green beans and mashed potatoes in her mouth. 

After her medicine was down Noctis and Prompto made their departure, with reassurance that they would come back the next day and visit. Finally alone with him, Morrigan could finally ask Ignis what was running wild through his mind.

“Penny for your thoughts?” she asked as she tried to put as much force into her tone as she could. She wanted him to tell her anything, everything, that was on his mind, and now was the perfect opportunity to do so. However, he remained silent as he seemed to fidget, lightly pulling at the stray strands of the blanket that fell victim to his onslaught, which was something she knew he never did. He bit his bottom lip once more, pulling at the tender skin there, a bead of crimson slowly pooling where his teeth tore the skin.

“I can’t seem to jostle the fear loose, my dear.” He finally replied after a pause that lasted way longer than it should have. She took his hands into his, brought them to her lips and kissed his fingers. She then lightly grazed his features, gingerly moving the strands of hair that would always fall from his pompadour, a smile lighting her features as she made her motions.

“I promise that I won’t do anything so reckless again. I’m sorry that I worried you so much, but I hope you understand why I wanted to do it. If I chose to do something so stupid again, I would like you to come with me, to make sure I’ll be alright and to stop me from doing something stupid. Besides,” She took her hands from him and began to ponder, biting the nail of her index finger, not really sure how to explain the woman she had seen; but she decided against it, something in her gut telling her to keep it secret for now. Instead, she relayed the words that she had told her. “I’ve got a calling to fulfill, and the only way I can do that is if I’m alive.”

“A calling?” he asked, his tone dripping with confusion. “Who told you that?”

She managed to scratch the side of her head, fire going through her arm as she did so. “I don’t really know. A woman dressed in white… I don’t remember how I got to see her, but I remember being under the water and the next thing I knew, she was there, to remind me of the calling.” Her tone was light, baffled as she recalled the faint memory.  
“But the only one that can declare a calling is the Oracle herself, and she perished long ago leaving another one yet to be named.” Ignis explained as he slowly gathered the weight of her words. 

They both knew that a calling, what someone was supposed to do with either their lives or an action to be done, could only come from someone that worked closely with the Astrals, the person of their choosing working as a messenger for them. Time seemed to stand still as the two of them looked upon one another, her not understanding anything at all, and him understanding everything. She watched as she quietly grasped the envelope on the table and gently handed it toward her.

“I surmise that this will hold the answers we are both seeking.” He said as gently placed the parchment in her hands. 

“You want me to read it now?” she asked, and he nodded, his mouth set to a thin line. 

She broke the wax seal on the back of the envelope, the insignia being the emblem of Tenebrae, and pulled out a two page letter, the script written in the same hand as the front.   
She skimmed the words, but quickly realized that they weren’t making much sense to her, and she handed the pages to Ignis to read aloud.

_’Dear Ms. Morrigan,_   
_I hope my words find you in pristine health. My name is Ravus Nox Fleuret of House Fleuret located within Tenebrae. It had come to my attention that the answers to your lineage, your family history, lies within our lands, and much closer than any of us thought. We have met before, however, those circumstances were dire, and I do not recall us ever speaking with one another. However, if I had known what I know now, I would have done things differently; but there is no use on dwelling on past events that one cannot change, but I digress. I wish to offer residence to you but knowing of your place within Insomnia and the Citadel itself, a short stay is all that I ask. My only wish is to help answer your questions, and possibly you can answer a few of mine in return._

_I cannot tell you exactly why I feel the need to reach out to you, but I can say that I feel my sister would never let me live my actions down if I did not. That’s just how Lunafreya was; she had a way of knowing things you had done before you even brought them to light. I can tell you that she often spoke of a calling other than the princes’ and that intrigued me greatly. Though she was called herself to guide the prince, as wayward as he was in the beginning, she often mentioned a girl with hair made of fire. Through our many searches within our own systems here, we frequently returned with more questions than we had before. That was also how we discovered your mother, and her precise relation to our family. I have known of you for quite some time, but nothing came to light until as of late. When your tactician sent word of you, your status and relationship with the new King of Lucis, I felt that I had to reach out to you, if not for my own curiosity, but for my sisters, gods rest her soul, as well._

_I look forward to hearing from you shortly, as I do wish to learn who you are, as you do me._   
_Warm Wishes,_   
_Ravus Nox Fleuret_

The silence that surrounded the two of them was palpable as she gently took the papers from his hands and folded them back up. She felt as if the blood running through her veins were made of ice as the weight of the words embedded itself in the grey matter of her brain. Though she had tried to ignore the fact that she knew, as of recently, of her royal lineage, she had tried to forget about it completely. Her mother would always speak of how she missed her homestead, but she always thought that she meant where she was currently; like she missed how things used to be before she got sick and before her father turned into a raging alcoholic. She never once questioned her mothers words, as she felt that she could make it the way that she remembered, but in the end, that wasn’t even what she was yearning for. She wanted to go home, back to Tenebrae, to be with her family before she died, and she couldn’t even do that for her. That would explain why her mother always planted flowers; it was something that reminded her of her home across the sea.

“Momma always told us to do what needed to be done, and this is something that she would want me to do.” Morrigan finally spoke, her tone forlorn as she remembered the image of her mother lying on her death bed. “Ignis,” she began and the man before her gazed on her, his expression dutiful. “Will you come with me?” she asked.

“I’ll always be at your side.” He replied as he leaned in to place a small peck on her lips.

**********

After a week of harsh hospital lights and horrible food, she was finally able to return home, though walking was a different story. For reasons unknown to her, and all the medical mumbo jumbo thrown around, she had to walk with a cane for the first time in her life. Ignis had assured her that he would help with her recovery, but the longer she walked without the cane, the more her legs began to feel like lead. The doctors made it known that she would regain full mobility of her legs, but it would take time, and to make sure that she used the cane when her legs were tired or she would end up on the ground, something she had experienced first hand still within the confines of the hospital, unable to get up. It didn’t take long for Prompto to find some chocobo stickers at a nearby store and she watched as he carefully decorated it with the silly yellow birds.

Ignis had also helped her write a return letter to General Ravus about her current situation, mentioning however, that she would enjoy coming to meet him within a months time, one, to allow her mobility to return, and two, doctors wishes for her to remain home while she healed fully. He returned word quickly and began to set up arrangements for her departure and assured her that he would send a ship to pick her up with no expense to her or the city of Insomnia. He declared the action a family matter and took it upon himself to make sure everything ran smoothly.

By the time the fated day arrived, she was ushered away from the apartment she shared with the ever regal tactician, the two of them making their way to the rooftops of the Citadel where a place had been set up for important persons to land their aircrafts if they arrived by air. She was aware that they could have taken a ship across the ocean, something she had brought up many a time, but Ignis decided against it as he recalled her last trip across the waltzing waves to Altissia. Time seemed to stand still as she stood watching the airship land with a loud metallic _clank_ and she couldn’t help but grasp her cane tight in one hand and Ignis’ hand in the other. She had already said her farewells to the others, but that didn’t stop her worry and fear of what would become of the place she had called home for so long. With thoughts of her mother racing through her mind, she let Ignis guide her on board the massive ship that seemed to be even bigger on the inside. He worked in silence as he buckled her in and made his way to his seat beside her and buckled himself in. He seemed to feel her apprehension radiating off of her as he leaned to her form and spoke.

“General Ravus is a good man, and I assure you that I will not leave your side unless you direct it.” He gave her hand a squeeze of reassurance, and a smile to send his message home.

“Stay with me.” She said, her voice filled with absolute terror as the ship began its ascent into the sky. She watched from the window as the Citadel below them got small and smaller, the tress slowly turning into what looked like toys and finally disappear completely from her sight.

The great expanse of the cerulean ocean make her stomach flip, the thought alone making her feel nauseated as she recalled the last time she were so close to it. With the speed they were traveling, Tenebrae would soon be visible, and they would arrive just as dusk was beginning to settle. She heard Ignis move to reach the bag that he’d kept with him, and watched as he pulled out a small pastry puff wrapped in plastic.

“It’s nothing special, but seeing as our trip would take longer than either of us like, I picked up a couple of tarts for us to eat.” He took one from the plastic and placed it within her outstretched hand. “The owner explained that these were something similar to a key lime pie, but as a puff, so I can only surmise that the crème within is the flavor one expects.” He explained as he took a small bite, not quite sure how he felt about it at first. She took her own small bite, the flavor exactly as she expected. However, it was nothing compared to what the man beside her could prepare with as little time necessary. 

“It’s good, but as always, yours are much better.” She complimented as she placed her hand over her mouth to speak. Ignis seemed to beam with pride as he accepted her compliment.

“Oh, come now…” he spoke with a smile plastered to his features, something she had quickly come to love about him.

“Can you wake me up when we get there?” she said as she swallowed the remaining bite of her puff. “I’m a little anxious and I want this ride to be over as soon as possible.” She embellished. 

With a nod in her direction, she placed her head on his shoulder and closed her eyes lightly. It didn’t take her long to fall into a light slumber; but what she didn’t know was that Ignis had rested his head atop hers and fell into his own.

_’Oh, listen well, little one, for the words I speak bear great importance. The time you have remaining within the confines of your mortal body will be of great significance to the greater battle ahead. Though the scourge has been eradicated, another great darkness looms over their horizon, something that even the scourge could not defeat. Accept your calling, little one, or bear witness to the undoing of all of Eos.’_

Morrigan’s eyes slowly opened, the voice still echoing within the confines of her mind. She glanced out the small window to see the lights of the mansion in Tenebrae slowly getting brighter as they got closer. She nudged Ignis, who woke with a start, thrown out of his own slumber, and he looked out the window as well to see what was going on.

“Passengers, may I have your attention. We will be arriving at our destination within twenty minutes. Please keep your belts buckled and remain seated as we begin our decent.” The voice of the captain sounded over the intercom.

“Looks like were almost there.” She said calmly as she watched the lights grow bigger.

She felt the aircraft stop and hover in mid air for a brief moment and she took another glance out the window to see a small group of people standing on the edge of the landing platform. She saw the stark white hair of the man she’d come to know as Ravus and a few other people that she couldn’t name, their forms getting larger as their decent had begun. She took a look at Ignis, who remained composed if only for her sake, while she grasped his hand with her right and her cane with her left. The ship lurched slightly as she felt it land and slowly decompress. 

“Attention passengers, we have landed. You may remove your belts and gather your things. Thank you for giving me the opportunity to fly you to Tenebrae.”

As they gathered their meager belongings, Ignis just having two bags to himself and her only one, which he insisted on carrying for her, the hatch toward the back of the ship opened downward to reveal the black tarmac. The wind seemed to pick up inside as the door opened, her hair flying in every which direction, as she slowly made her way down the small ramp. She watched as General Ravus took a glance toward one man, someone with a blading head and stout around the belly, and he walked toward Ignis beside her, took the bags that he had from him, and disappeared into the fading light to a nearby car that she could now see. A woman remained by his side, blonde hair swaying lightly in the breeze that she barely felt. However, Ravus himself seemed to not even acknowledge this woman, and neither did Ignis. She saw as the woman placed a warm smile on her features, only to turn away on her heels and walk back into the fading light.

“Welcome to Tenebrae Ms. Morrigan. We left the car running as we awaited your arrival. Is there anything that we can get you at this time?” Ravus spoke, his tone more professional than friendly. He took a glance toward Ignis and nodded, the other man returning the gesture. She knew that they had worked together in the past, during the times of darkness, but what was their relationship currently; she couldn’t help but wonder.

“Oh no, don’t trouble yourselves on our account. I’m sure that Ignis agrees with me when I say that I just want to be on solid ground. I’m not used to air or sea travel, and I feel a bit queasy.” Morrigan replied as she gently took her hand and placed it on her stomach to ease the pain of a sudden cramp.

“I can understand the sentiment. If you would follow me, I’ll take you to the car and we’ll head for the mansion. We have room and board set up, so you don’t have to worry about taking up any space. If you like, we can postpone discussions until the morning after the two of you have rested.” The older man before her said as he turned on his heels and   
slowly made his way to the awaiting car. With one hand resting upon Ignis’ arm, as the ground had become slippery after the rain that they hadn’t witnessed, and the other gripped tightly around the handle of her cane, the two of them followed the man clad in white as they made their way into the setting sun.


End file.
